A Santa Cruz County horse sanctuary known for rescuing horses once bound for slaughter is looking to expand its reach.

Equine Voices Rescue and Sanctuary in Amado is hosting its

fundraiser to help finance additional land and continue giving horses like its mascot, Gulliver, a second chance at life.

Gullivers story is emblematic of the sanctuarys mission. He was rescued from a Premarin farm in South Dakota, where he and his siblings were considered byproducts of the pharmaceutical industry.

Premarin, a portmanteau for

, is a hormone replacement drug used to treat symptoms of menopause. Its made by extracting estrogen from the urine of pregnant horses, who are often kept in confined conditions for extended periods to maximize production.

Their foals, once born, typically have little va

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