The State’s Heartless Policy On Horses

To the Editor:

Please help. The state has run out of money and they are killing the horses belonging to the Governor’s Horse Guard! So far, three horses have been put down. There are other alternatives but the state doesn’t want to spend the time or trouble to find homes for the horses so they just kill them. They don’t have the funds for vet bills and they think the best decision is to just be rid of these trained, intelligent animals because it’s the easy course of action. Someone I work with was looking to buy another horse for her personal use last month and she would gladly have paid for one of the Governor’s Horse Guard horses! Is anyone aware this is happening?

Please write to Jodi Rell and tell her to give the horses a chance and at least offer them up for sale or adoption. The current plan of action is heartless and makes no sense. Also, the horse guard is accepting donations for their care if anyone is interested. If they receive enough money, they won’t have to ask the state to pay for the vet bills.

JoAnne Barnhart

Brushy Hill Road, Newtown                                  December 14, 2009

(Editor’s note: Major Gordon Johnson of the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard in Newtown reports that any horse euthanized under the jurisdiction of the horse guard is put down for medical reasons only. Economics, he says, is not a part of the decision.)