To the Editor:

In response to all the talk about the Larry Roney case, I just feel some information should be clarified.

Mr. Roney has shown his animals a lot of love, and the love they have for him has not been mentioned. Caring for and rehabilitating animals has been his whole life. He was doing the best he could under the circumstances, and with what he had.

His whole life has been dedicated to the care and love for animals. All his life, people would bring stray and hurt animals to him, and this was well known because he would often have stray animals dropped off in front of his house with the knowledge that he would take them in. The blind dog that was shown in a television news report on his case was a dog he rescued off the side of the road, and had been rehabilitating for months. It was close to death when he found it in much worse condition than was shown on television. It was in such severe shape, it was a wonder it lived at all, and such bad shape like that takes a long period of recovery.

If people ran out of food for their pets and they needed it, they could come to him and he would give them food. He would also haul hay to area people who needed it for their animals.

He worked all day long, every day, to love and care for these animals for years. This heavy and constant work has definitely taken a toll on his body and his finances. All his money went to his animals, to the point he would go without. The love and commitment for his animals was truly outstanding and well known. He always tried his best.

He has deeply grieved over losing his animals, who were his family. He feels his family has been taken away, and he is still struggling with that. The animals loved and protected him, and that was obvious by how they responded to him.

Even with his failing health, he has always put his animals first. His love and commitment for animals, I can understand, because I have animals myself. I can understand people fighting for the love of animals, but where is their compassion for humans, and consideration for what the animals would want? Rick Rooney St. Ignace

Editor's Note: Larry Roney of Rexton was charged in 92nd District Court with one misdemeanor charge of animal abandonment and cruelty January 31. He pleaded no contest and was allowed to keep 25 of his animals, while 29 were adopted, and he has been placed on probation for a year, as reported in The St. Ignace News March 6. Mr. Rooney is a nephew of Mr. Roney.