Open Forum

I am sure many of you have seen in the news PETA's latest sad and sickening self promotion. In Wisconsin there is a billboard of New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, in a milk mustache that says, "Got Prostate Cancer?". Mind you -- this was done without the mayor's permission! PETA claims milk promotes prostate cancer according to "their" experts. I just have one question, do they know that the mayor even drinks milk? This is just another example of how PETA spends their millions. I wonder if PETA contributors knew their donations were going toward such an ad. I bet not! I hope the mayor sues their pants off...

If you are thinking about donating your hard-earned money to an animal welfare organization, please consider keeping it local. Wouldn't you like to know where your money is going? Heartland Animal Rescue Team (HART) is a "non-profit" organization that helps find homes for hundreds of animals every year and relies heavily on your donations and volunteer time. They are in the trenches doing the work that PETA only claims to do, not only by finding homes for abandoned and surrendered animals but also through proper education and cruelty investigation. So let's put our time and money where our mouth is. I will be donating my money locally, at least I know the money is going directly where it was intended and not some tasteless billboard.

Tracy Dobbs

Pine River

Sadly misunderstood

I recently wrote an article titled "Chicken Run" and a reader's response made me realize that I should've added a disclaimer with that previous article. However there was no room for one or even the last paragraph I initially wrote, due to the length of it.

Of course, all organizations have extremists and radicals attached to them; that's a fact of life! I don't recall pleading with anyone to join P.E.T.A. I, myself, am not a member. I learned long ago that some things, you just have to do on your own. Many times you can get much farther if you are not affiliated with any particular group. I didn't waste word space explaining what the initials meant because I trust that the majority of people in this society are well informed enough to have already heard of that particular organization. I was simply commenting on unnecessary animal cruelty.

I raced sled dogs for years and do ride my horses, as opposed to just keeping them around for pets even though certain factions of P.E.T.A. (that I believe are misinformed) have been quoted as saying that the first is a cruel sport and the second an unnecessary activity. My main objective was to open a few eyes, especially on the horse issue, whose web pages are not those of P.E.T.A. Some of those that bear checking out are: Save The Horses, Equine Protection and Equine Rescue.

I think the majority of horse lovers and owners are well meaning and intelligent enough to make their own minds up after checking out this information. I also believe that one person can make a difference in a situation such as this, so will continue to do my part (no matter how misunderstood). Every little bit helps, whether it be written, spoken or by taking action in the form of rescuing some of these animals, one horse at a time.

Sue McPherson

Baxter