IN response to the letter about the horses in last week's Citizen, I would like to confirm that the bay area does have a serious problem with unwanted and neglected horses and that several of the tethered ones have no owners known to the authorities.

The police introduced a horse pound in a different area where they could take the horses abandoned on public property or left to wander the streets.

However, after threats were made by several of the owners the pound refused to operate at such a high risk. The police are responsible for stray horses so ring them.

I agree with the contents of the letter about the fact that the owners should take responsibility for these animals and provided them with all their needs. Several of the owners are in fact good owners and do look after their horses and ponies but sadly there are a number of horses in a terrible condition left without basic facilities.

The RSPCA seem to have more computer problems than anyone else on earth. If you can actually get through ask for the incident log number and insist that the inspector rings you back with a result.

The inspectors are good in this area, it is getting a message to them that is very hard. The laws are clear and if the animal has food and water then there is little that can be done legally.

Therefore, if you feed it and make it comfortable you are actually removing its right to help from organisations that have any powers to do anything.

If you see an animal in distress phone the RSPCA and make sure that the inspector is told and allow him to do his job.

Val Harwood Animal Care