Letters Editor

I always enjoy Mike Rogozinski's compassionate and insightful columns about animals and wish to thank the Now for giving a voice to the weakest in our society -- those who can't even speak.

It's true many gift-pets are soon given away to a pound or free to a good home. Pound kennels and cages are sad places for animals, and the 'good home' is too frequently a terrible home. But at least there is some hope of a happy life for the pets that are dumped these ways. There is very little help for the puppy that is put outside because the kids don't train it or clean up its accidents. Sometimes the pup is put on a chain, or it dangles from a trolley line, or is put in a pen, and -- yes -- even in a tiny pen in a garage!

Those are the saddest of all -- chosen as babies by cruel, indifferent people, with never a chance at happiness at all. Laws must change. It must be made illegal to keep dogs like livestock (except that the law would never permit anyone to keep a goat or a chicken this way, much less a cat).

Animal Advocates has been working for years to convince some decent, forward-thinking municipality to ban yard-dogs. We're still waiting.

Judy Stone, President
Animal Advocates Society of BC
www.animaladvocates.com