Retired actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has begged Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos to improve the living condition of horses in the country, Colombian media report.
In a letter to Santos, the 1960s sex symbol reminded the president of a decree from last year that calls for the complete replacement of animal-drawn vehicles before January 31, 2012.
“I beg you to carry out in intervention to stop the suffering of the horses that are victimized in your country,” the 77-year old Bardot wrote.
The actress reminded President Santos that putting an end to draft horses would, “gain the respect of millions who do not support this obsolete vision of the world where animals are forced to haul more than they can carry.”
Bardot also denounced the killing of horses in secret slaughterhouses for food citing not only the cruelty of the slaughter, but also the effect on public health.
Following her retirement from the fim industry in 1973, Bardot increasingly became politically active in the defense on animals.