Horses pay price for irresponsible owners
In response to Constance Preble's letter stating that horses are not pets and that the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act is unnecessary, I would like to add my two cents' worth ("Horses not in same category as cats, dogs," Jan. 2).
Millions of Americans do feel their horses are pets. I am one of them. Preble states that horses cost between $200-$250 a month to feed and care for and yet the cost for carcass removal is too high; therefore we should just slaughter horses so we don't have to see old horses on the side of the road. What total nonsense.
If you can afford to feed a horse and care for it, you can afford to have it buried in a pet cemetery or taken to a rendering plant. And if you can't, you have no business owning a horse. I get so tired of people not being responsible pet (or "livestock," according to Preble) owners. We do not need to continue slaughtering part of our heritage to help out irresponsible owners. I urge everyone to ask their senators to support the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
Barbara Hanson
Denver