The Feb. 10 jeer pointed at county horse owners is totally misplaced.

The situation of horse neglect is an unintended consequence and is not a local problem. The jeer should have been pointed at the horse-lover community that pushed through the laws that ban horse slaughter.

What are the cash-strapped people who happen to have a horse that they cannot sell or even give away do?

It is time for all of those in the deep-pocketed entertainment community to step up and put their money where their mouth is. Equine Angels is a very laudable organization, but it is just a band-aid on a serious cancer of ever-growing horse population.

As a result of last year’s drought, all livestock owners are stressed with the high cost of feed, but the cattle, sheep, hog and chicken producers have an out for their animals — slaughter.

The Butler Eagle has published many articles covering these forced liquidations. What is the solution for horses with no slaughter outlet?

At $7-per-bale hay and $6-per-bushel oats, does one feed his or her horse or children?

It is time for the deep-pocketed horse-lover community to step forward to pay for its unintended consequence.