HORSE INSPIRES 9-YEAR-OLD TO SAY FIRST WORD

HORSE INSPIRES 9-YEAR-OLD TO SAY FIRST WORD

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. (Wireless Flash) – Animal trainers are doggone amazed that a horse that was nearly slaughtered has inspired a 9-year-old girl to speak her first word. The 14-year-old gelding is named “Part-Time” and was scheduled to be killed six weeks ago. However, he was saved from the “glue factory” after an animal lover purchased him and donated him to the Helen Woodward Animal Center in California. Trainers say Part-Time is “unusually sensitive” for a horse but they had no idea how sensitive until last week when he came in contact with 9- year-old Danica Mello, who has the mental age of a two-year-old. Danica’s parents feared she’d never speak but when Part-Time looked into her eyes, she spoke her first word: “Hi.” Since then, Danica hasn’t said much else but her mom is thrilled that a horse that shouldn’t even be alive “got the kid who’s not supposed to talk...to talk.”

Mon 07-16-01