Common Sense And A Love

Of Creatures

To the Editor:

I am shocked that Carolee Mason is still being put through all this garbage after 11 hours of hearings, the selectmen’s decision, and the support of the Newtown citizens.

Not knowing procedures? Not doing paperwork correctly? I am a horse owner, an NBLA [Newtown Bridle Lands Association] member and am part of a professional horse family who has done business in Newtown for over 39 years. Approximately two years ago, two horses ran down my road. I alerted the police and as a volunteer to NBLA’s team that assists capturing loose horses, rushed to capture the two wanderers. Once the police arrived, no one knew what to do or who to call (they didn’t even have NBLA contact numbers; I had to provide those to them); Carolee was on vacation. Two hours passed as I and my husband held the two horses on our front lawn. The police could not locate the owners and didn’t know what to do with the two horses. It seems Newtown has no official rescue procedure (at least no one seems to know of one).  Further, there seems to be no official way to transport loose horses and nowhere to house them in such a case. Incredible, since Newtown has a large horse population and is home to the Governor’s Horse Guard.

As a volunteer in NBLA, I was working with Carolee on sketching a procedure in both our off hours until her ridiculous firing. To this day, I still believe Newtown does not have an official plan to rescue those wandering, very large, animals. Carolee is a friend to the horse community as well as all the other animals. She knows what to do even if an official plan does not yet exist. She has common sense and a deep love of all creatures, and I support her and pray these people who pursue her to save their own skins wise up and let her do the job she is good at and loves.

Hey, the powers that be in Newtown, you aren’t exactly paying her a six-figure salary. Wise up and leave Carolee alone!

Karen Lato-Jensen

14 Beaver Dam Road, Newtown                                                                     August 26, 2009