Don’t let his name fool you — legendary guitar player Slash wants none of that happening to the mute swans of the Chesapeake Bay. The hard-rocking animal lover sent Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley a letter on Monday urging him to halt the killing of the animals.
Earlier this decade, the state Department of Natural Resources began to blame the swans for pollution in the bay, and recently began exterminating them. Only about 500 survive, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
“A number of my fans are very concerned about this,” Slash writes. “You have the authority to call off the brutal killings and I really hope you will. … I hope you will consider stepping in to allow the remaining mute swans to live out their lives in peace and harmony with nature and people.”
He signed the letter using his real name, Saul Hudson, although the postscript reads: “Slash, Star Guitarist of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver.”
A Humane Society spokeswoman said Slash came to a dinner event the organization held at the Sundance Film Festival this year “and he let us know he wanted to help with animal protection.” When he heard about the swan slaughter, he offered to lend his name to their cause.
Soon after, an item was posted to his Web site about their plight. “Although many of the animals [Slash] has loved over the years have been reptiles, it doesnt mean he overlooks other members of the animal kingdom,” reads the post.
