Letters

LETTER 1 – No Kill Rocks

Thank you for your informative article on the no-kill movement. Several groups lost whatever donations I was going to give them when they decided that Michael Vick’s dogs needed to be killed. At least the judge in that case had sense and let the animals be saved.

One of the groups that took in 22 of the dogs, Best Friends Animal Society, made remarkable progress with dogs who used to be frightened and skittish with people. I think that with many shelters, killing animals is just too easy. Groups like Best Friends take the time and patience to make sure animals are safe and secure.

As Michael Mountain, one of the original founders of the group, said recently, no-kill should not be thought of as a choice of last resort, but must be the only choice.

Nancy Williams
Via e-mail

LETTER 2 – Kudos for No-Kill Shelters

I was completely horrified and dismayed to read (Autumn 2009, ActionLine) about the shelter-kill policies of both PETA and HSUS in order to make room for more animals.

When PETA employees were caught on video dumping live puppies into a dumpster in a shopping center, many members, including myself, questioned their ethics.

A correctional officer at Sing Sing ordered an inmate to put kittens in a compactor. When the inmate refused, the correctional officer put them in the compactor. This officer was fired, stood trial and received jail time. What is the difference between this officer putting kittens in a compactor and PETA putting puppies in a dumpster?

PETA also didn’t want Michael Vick’s dogs to be rehabilitated: they wanted all of the dogs to be euthanized. Thanks to Best Friends Sanctuary, most have been rehabilitated and adopted.

I’d like to say that Friends of Animals stands for good things. Your group is uncompromising in saving and protecting animals. You want zoos closed, elephants protected in Africa and not used in circuses, harp seals protected from the vicious clubbings, the list goes on. You try to educate people as to why they should be vegan, thus eliminating some of the cruelties inflicted upon animals.

Elisabeth B. Joshi
Mahopac , NY

LETTER 3 - The No-Kill Movement

I agree that there is a pet overpopulation problem. For every person born in this country, there are 15 dogs and 45 cats born: too many for the number of available homes.

Also, he seems to be against euthanizing animals who are hopelessly sick or injured. I am for it. I had animals euthanized and I never felt guilty about it. I would feel guilty about watching them suffer.

Brenda Sauer
North Brunswick , NJ

LETTER 4 – Promises to Keep - An Evolving Story

Animal shelters cannot possibly find homes for all the animals that enter their doors. (Autumn 2009) I've been a shelter volunteer since 1989. I'd like to see the killing end, but it doesn't. Take recent statistics offered by Maricopa County Animal Care and Control in Phoenix:

57,548 animals came in during 2008
30,340 were killed
9% were returned to the owner (nearly all dogs)
12% were released to rescue groups
14,035 were adopted
388 were lost in the system (either died or stolen from the shelter)

The county expects the public to believe that not a single adoptable animal was euthanized, but I volunteered there from 1997 to 2008 and that is simply not true. As long as shelters perpetuate this myth, the public will surrender unwanted dogs/cats to shelters rather than try and place them on their own. I was at the shelter and confronted people who said things like, "Wow, it's great this place is no kill." I told them it was most certainly not a no-kill shelter.

Shelters are not the cause of pet overpopulation. I disagreed with the county shelter on their policy of claiming no adoptable animals were killed, but they made a serious effort to place animals into good homes.

Debra J. White
via e-mail

LETTER 5 – Palin is Plenty Disturbing

I am writing this letter in regards to the Sarah Palin article about wolf-killing (Summer ActionLine, 2009). I find it so hard to put into words how disturbing this was to me. I did not realize that such horrible things were happening with the wildlife in Alaska. I don’t understand how anyone could be so cruel to these beautiful creatures. It’s hard to imagine but I’m sure this kind of cruelty goes on all over the world. The best we can hope for is that things will get better.

I try so hard to educate people about their animals and how to protect wildlife. I do hope that somehow it will make a difference.

Betty Fairhurst
Anna , IL

LETTER 6 -End the Killing

We must put a stop to the killing and hunting of coyotes, wolves, and all other animals.

A few years ago I had requested information from the U.S. Department of Fish and Game about coyotes. I was told from them, coyotes were considered a nuisance to ranchers because they preyed on their livestock, and that wolves were going to be removed from the endangered species list.

I am tired of hunters thinking that it is their given right to hunt and kill anything they want and we don’t have the right to tell them no.

Victoria Holland
Woodland Hills, CA

LETTER 7 - Horses Need Friends

I have to tell you that the Autumn 2009, ActionLine was really outstanding. I read about the sad plight of the horse-drawn carriages that I personally have witnessed. It touched me deeply.

The streets were crowded with cars, horns blowing, heavily populated with people, and the horses in the midst of this pandemonium.

I know that Friends of Animals is trying to stop this injustice.

Shirley Tavei
New York, NY