Unfettered Letters

Paws up for new pet center

It was a wonderful sight to see that the old Kansas City Animal Control is now operating under private management as Half Way Home Pet Adoption center (3/3, Local, “Catering to the cat category”). This is a great day in Kansas City for many animal lovers who have tried to change this very bad place into a better place for all the unfortunate animals that ended up here with little or no chance for adoption but almost every chance of euthanasia. The policies and rules changed frequently and never in the right direction.

You can go to KansasCity.com and see a short video of the efforts to transform this building into an adoption facility rather than a death chamber. I am sure others will join me in volunteering our time to this long overdue change and enjoy every minute knowing the hope that is offered to each animal that enters their care. Thank you to veterinarian R. Wayne Steckelberg.

Donna Ronan
Mid America Boston Terrier Rescue volunteer
Kansas City

Many gay couples are great parents

Christie Jessee (2/24, Letters, “Same-sex unions”) cites a lack of masculine or feminine parental influence for children of gay couples as justification for gay marriage bans. However, even if it were true that fatherless or motherless families are less than ideal, that is no reason to deny gay couples equal marriage rights.

If only those who would be ideal parents could marry, no one would be married. We don’t grant or deny heterosexual couples the right to marry based on their presumed level of fitness as parents. Why make an exception for gay couples?

Many gay couples already have children, and many make excellent parents despite whatever challenges such families must face. The welfare of these children is better served if their parents have the right to marry than if they do not. We are doing these children no favors by treating their parents as second-class citizens.

Chad Inman
Kansas City

California octuplets

Columnist Ellen Goodman opined that the birth of the Suleman octuplets “is more than an individual decision” (2/8, Opinion, “Case of octuplets shows lack of sense and limits”). Goodman implies that because public dollars may be needed to care for these children, the government should be entitled to regulate the implantation of embryos.

Goodman has previously established her belief that government should not interfere with women’s privacy “rights” to abortion. What twisted logic. If a woman’s womb is a private matter, then her decision to deliver a “litter” is private. On the other hand, if the concern is that tax dollars are going to be spent contrary to Americans’ wishes, then public money should not be used to pay for abortions.

If Goodman is truly concerned about how our tax dollars are being spent, she should be outraged at President Obama’s decision to lift the ban against using tax revenues to procure abortions around the globe. A Gallup poll reveals that only 35 percent of Americans approve of President Obama’s decision to lift that ban.

It is hypocrisy to play the “privacy” and “public money” cards when it suits only one side of a debate.

Kim Wetzel-Williams
Kansas City, Kan.

Nadya Suleman chose to have in vitro fertilization and now has eight more children. I wonder if her unidentified fertility doctor is married. If not, maybe he should consider marrying Nadya to help care for these innocent children.

If he is not available, maybe she should consider adoption. That decision would demonstrate responsibility, maturity and love, which seems to be a huge deficit in this sad scenario.

Susan Hidalgo
Lake Quivira

Adopted children are truly special

In my family, I stuck out like a sore thumb. Mom, Dad and Sis were all dark haired. I, on the other hand, had freckles and flaming red hair. Back in 1960, people thought nothing about approaching young children and asking them questions. The question to me was always, “Where did you get that beautiful red hair?” My answer would be, “I don’t know, ’cause I’m adopted.” People were so surprised by this, they would respond by giving me money to put in my pocket.

When I was 12, my father came to my room one night. Maybe he sensed my preteen anxieties and fears. Whatever the reason, that night he sat beside me in bed and said: “You are special because you were chosen. I love you as if you were my own blood.”

Adopted children are truly special, and so are the people who open up their hearts and lives to adopt a child. Thanks to them, and a special thanks to my mom and dad.

Mary Jo Wheeler
Kansas City

‘Adopt a family’ misleading

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, I’d like to request that well-meaning organizations refrain from using terms like “adopt a family” for Christmas service projects. As I tried to explain to my second-grade son, the club or church group doesn’t really mean that they are going to adopt a troubled teen or a needy family, but rather that they are merely going to try to help make their holidays better.

It’s hard enough for some adopted children to understand their histories without confusing them in this way. It also really diminishes the significance of adoption as forever family-building when the term is used to describe projects that involve a couple of weeks of collecting gifts for people you’ll probably never even see.

May I instead suggest these project names: sponsor-a-family for the holidays, secret Santa, helpful elf, holiday helping hands, gift drives or Christmas angels.

Alyce Leytham
Adoptive mother
Lawson, Mo.

Tail wags for Humane Society

A big thank-you to the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, Karen Sands and all the Society’s staff. We recently adopted a beautiful puppy, and it has been a wonderful experience from such a caring and professional organization.

For a nominal adoption fee, our healthy puppy had already been neutered and microchipped. All the vaccinations were covered, including rabies and deworming, and flea and heartworm prevention were started.

Our puppy also received a leather collar with an ID tag, leash, a bag of premium dog food and a bag full of toys.

When we returned for booster shots (included), our puppy received prompt attention, and we were in and out in no time. Flea and tick and heartworm medications can also be purchased at the Society at a reduced price.

We encourage everyone to please consider adopting young and older pets from the HSGKC or your local shelter.

Terry and Julie Eggers
Olathe

Purrfect Pet adoption center

Purrfect Pets is one of the best places to adopt in the city.

We have experienced both adoption and have had some homeless cats adopted by this organization.

The cats that enter and leave Purrfect Pets are observed, treated for any health issues, neutered, spayed, socialized and loved before adoption is allowed.

The reason for this is the welfare of both animals and their future homes. Their adoptions are successful because of all the time and care that is taken in placing a cat or cats in the right environment for all concerned.

A cat is not a cat is not a cat. They all have different needs, personalities, etc. The Purrfect Pet shelter is non profit, operated on donations, largely by the founder and volunteers.

These people are very dedicated and I feel complaints have been unfair and uninformed.

Sally Krizman
Overland Park

Horror of puppy mills

If you tuned in to the recent “Oprah Winfrey Show” regarding puppy mills, surely you were horrified to discover the atrocities happening in many puppy mills around the country.

If you didn’t see the episode, you missed seeing dogs that had metal pipes shoved down their throats to damage their vocal cords so severely they would be unable to bark. You missed seeing rescued dogs that had to learn to walk because they had spent their entire lives in cages with only enough room to stand. You missed seeing more than 40 beautiful, friendly dogs being euthanized in one day at a Fort Worth animal shelter because there was no room for them and no one to adopt them.

If our society can allow these poor innocent animals to be treated this way, it doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to understand why there is so much violence perpetrated against women and children, another vulnerable population. Please visit hsus.org to find out what you can do to help stop animal abuse.

Finally, please visit your local animal shelters to find a dog in desperate need of a soft place to land.

R. A. Dyer
Lee’s Summit

Not all cats do well with kids

On behalf of Purrfect Pets, I have the following comments for Justin Amberson (4/9, Letters, “Family denied cat adoption”).

It is our mission at Purrfect Pets to find the best possible homes for each of our animals. The cat in question had come from a home in which he did not do well with a visiting 1-year old grandchild. Our first obligation is to our cats, and we try hard to place them appropriately.

Mr. Amberson failed to mention that the volunteer he spoke with directed his wife to another cat that had done beautifully with younger children. She refused to consider her.

Mr. Amberson feels that our adoption system is fundamentally flawed, but we have established these parameters to protect both owner and cat. We thrive on long-term partnerships between human and beast. We do not thrive on returns.

Jennifer Zaman
Volunteer, Purrfect Pets
Overland Park

Family denied cat adoption

My wife and I recently decided to bring a second cat into our home. Instead of paying hundreds to a retail store, we chose adoption from a shelter.

With our calm, 18-month-old daughter, we set our sights on an adult male cat. Grown cats have a harder time being adopted.

It turns out, the cat we desired must have told Purrfect Pets beforehand that he prefers “older children.” We were rudely turned away because the volunteer thought our gentle toddler might hurt the cat. She wouldn’t even let us get acquainted.

This is the same place that has a half-ton of fluorescent yellow signs telling how hard it is for the adoption business. Too many cats are taken in, but not enough families are adopting.

Purrfect Pets will never see any of our family’s money. To Purrfect Pets, having a child precluded us from adopting a cat.

Justin Amberson
Overland Park