The March 14 article titled "Kentucky, land of the thoroughbred, swamped with unwanted horses" could not have been further from the truth.

There is no crisis and there is no glut of "unwanted horses" roaming the Bluegrass State or anywhere else.

Though I knew the article was completely inaccurate, I did investigate.

When contacted for confirmation about this particular story, Lt. Phil Crumpton, Kentucky State Police media relations branch commander, said, "You must be joking?"

Upon realizing that it was a serious question, he confirmed that there had been no reports of unwanted horses to headquarters or any of the regional posts.

At the annual meeting of the Kentucky Animal Care and Control Association, the organization's president, Dan Evans, surveyed the membership about the situation.

None reported an increase in abandoned horses or sightings.

Beyond the inaccurate reporting, it is tragic that the pro-horse slaughter movement has managed to manipulate the mainstream media.

The three remaining Belgian-owned slaughterhouses in Texas and Illinois killed over 100,000 healthy, wanted horses last year to supply overseas' diners with an expensive delicacy.

While responsible horse owners may have legitimate reasons for giving up their horses, all agree slaughter should not be an option.

I encourage everyone to get the facts on horse slaughter and help support passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act currently before Congress.

ED WHITFIELD
U.S. Representative, First District, Kentucky, Washington, D.C.

POSTED FROM: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/032807/opl_8875357.shtml