Mr. Mueller believes that the pronouns "he" and "she" should be reserved for reference to humans, with the possible exception of dogs and cats, but he is grossly mistaken ("Barbaro bids farewell to his fans," Feb. 5). In my lifetime of experiences with dogs, cats, horses and cattle, I can see nothing more special about dogs or cats than horses or cows. Cats are like cows in their affections; generally they are only affectionate when they want something from you (food). Sometimes they surprise you, though, as I once saw a boy guiding an old dairy cow to the milking parlor. The cow had no halter or any other restraint, she just followed the boy wherever she needed to go. Have you ever seen a rodeo horse in action, Mr. Mueller? He might not be quite as smart as my border collie, but there is no question that they have intensity and intelligence. Back in the 1930s, there was a horse named Seabiscuit, who gave hope to our nation. In the 1970s it was Secretariat. For us, we rooted for Barbaro. When Barbaro died, the workers at New Bolton Center mourned as if a family member had died. There is no doubt that his struggle was long and hard. There is equal certainty that Barbaro could've been extremely profitable as a stud. But Barbaro was a pet like any other. Just like people try to save the lives of beloved dogs and cats, they tried to save Barbaro's life. And even though they failed, the team learned valuable knowledge and skills that can help save other racehorses, other pets. Mr. Mueller, next time, instead of bloviating in another incendiary column that would make Michael Savage blush, think logically and write with an open mind.