What a subjective and misleadingly emotive piece of journalism your paper printed on its front page.

Too often our local council is criticised for lack of action; now your paper is doing so when they actually took positive action. If your reporter had done a little more research and not opted for the lazy approach of implying the council had acted hastily, your newspaper might have given a more objective outline of what has been taking place across Warndon villages for several months.

According to your article the owner has access to stabling: a pity this was not available during the last few months when these sad creatures have been tethered in various parts of the locality. This during some of the worst weather on record. During their stay in each spot they have churned the grassed areas into bogs as they stood day after day in the wind and rain. The filthy mess left behind in each spot – including areas designated for children to play- has been dreadful.

After numerous complaints to the council, “Abandonment” notices were served several weeks ago resulting in the owners moving the horses away from the estate grassed areas and back on to the verges of the main road.

All animal owners (such as myself) have a responsibility for their animals and to their local community. If my dog caused damage to the locality or defecated on the play areas I would rightly be taken to task for my lack of care.

Rather than seeking to portray the council as the “villains” perhaps you should look into the national problem many other councils have had when they are forced to take action over such horses. They are then obliged by the law to give the animals expensive veterinary treatment at the ratepayers’ expense. When the animals are then auctioned they are often purchased back for less than the cost of the vet’s bill by the same owners who dumped them on their neighbourhoods in the first place.

If you choose to own an animal of whatever kind then it is the owner’s responsibility to house it, feed it and make sure its mess is cleaned up : not the council’s nor your neighbours.

TMS Holland

Warndon Villages