Washington, Nov 28 : American models Shane and Sia Barbi have slammed President Barack Obama and Democrats over animal rights issues.

The twins and Shane’s hubby, actor Ken Wahl, have slammed Obama for picking the Kennedy’s “gift” of a Portuguese water dog over a pound dog, saying that the move disappointed many animal lovers.

“Obama didn’t even have to say a word; all he had to do was get an animal out of the pound. It would have been no effort on his part but it would have spoken volumes,” Fox News quoted them as saying.

“He should have led by example, which is what a good president is supposed to do. Everyone was disappointed, he could have used discretion and taken the Kennedy puppy privately and taken the pound puppy publicly,” they said.

And the action has apparently caused many animal lovers to totally re-evaluate their political stance.

“He’s got such a big following, he doesn’t realize how big the animal community is so you can image how disappointed everyone is. I know so many Democrats that have gone republican just from that one move and he didn’t keep to his word,” Shane said.

“My good friend Jana Kohl (Sen. Herb Kohl’s niece) very much campaigned for Obama and brought the whole animal community behind him. She got a photo with him and her pound puppy, so she was very disappointed when he didn’t get one.

“The Democrats have been very discouraging toward a lot of animal issues, I’m starting to open up the eyes of a lot of people, and it’s a money issue.

“I’ve seen a lot of Democrats let down the animal side because there is a big business and a lot of money to be made on the liberal side of animal extortion,” she added. (ANI)