Unfettered Letters

Pick up after your dog

While exercising my dog on a bicycle ride, I regularly notice dog feces in the street in the 6100 block of Morningside.

Love your animal, but respect your neighbor. Bagging dog waste is easy. Just take the wrapper from your newspaper or a bread wrapper and slide it over your hand, pick up the waste, twist and tie, and deposit in the trash.

It is disgusting to run over dog waste and track it all over the neighborhood, and it’s even worse to see it go into our sewers and wastewater system.

Ed “Gomer” Moody
Kansas City

Pit bull ordinance ineffective

Recently, The Star published an article discussing the “mixed” results of the ordinance that requires all pit bulls in the city to be spayed or neutered (6/24, A-1, “KC struggles with effects of law on pit bulls”). If these results are “mixed,” I’d hate to see failure.

The ordinance was enacted to reduce dog bites and lower the number of pit bulls killed at the Kansas City shelter. According to the article, bite numbers have remained flat, and the number of pit bulls killed in the shelter each month has increased 78 percent. Over the course of two years, that will be 1,200 additional dead dogs.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates the cost to impound, board and euthanize a single animal is $117. Not only has the ordinance not accomplished either goal, it has cost taxpayers more than $140,000 in enforcement. The city, and the Animal Control department, are woefully underfunded.

It is time to repeal this ineffective ordinance and use the resources to address animal cruelty and dogs that bite.

Brent Toellner
Legislative chair, Kansas City Dog Advocates
Kansas City

In praise of pit bulls

The Star’s article “KC struggles with effects of law on pit bulls” (6/24, A-1) made me think someone was seriously urinating on my leg and telling me it’s raining.

Two years ago Kansas City, Mo., instituted mandatory spay/neuter laws for pit bulls. Shelter intake and euthanasia of pit bulls have increased dramatically. Pit bull bite numbers are unchanged from those before ordinance implementation. Yet Patrick Egberuare, acting manager of animal health and public safety sees “success” in the numbers?

Michelle Dormady with Spay and Neuter KC stated they’re altering more pit bulls but the downside is, “There are more dying.” Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

Kate Quigley saw fit to perpetuate the tiresome “urban culture” stereotype, frightening soccer moms and public servants alike out here in the ’burbs.

Kansas City should repeal its wasteful ordinance and give Animal Control money to respond to stray animal and nuisance wildlife calls. What a concept!

Kim Krohn
Blue Springs

I want to thank all of the people involved with Kansas City’s ordinance to spay or neuter pit bulls instead of banning them like so many other cities have done.

Since when has it been OK to judge something because of what it looks like or how it is perceived? These dogs can be so loving, protective, and eager to please anyone who shows them the slightest attention.

My dog, Tank, who happens to be an 8-year-old pit bull, showers my 2-year-old-son with nothing but kisses and a body to climb on. He is gentle, affectionate and one of the smartest dogs I have ever owned.

It broke my heart to hear of all the attacks that happened within the last two years, and my heart goes out to those victims and their families. But my heart also goes out to the dogs who never knew what it was like to be needed and loved by a real family. Now so many are being destroyed because of the horrible people who gave them a bad name in the first place.

Stephanie Erickson
Gardner

Dog-n-Jog a tail-wagging success

Thank you to the 1,300 dogs and their people that descended upon the Country Club Plaza on June 8 for Dog-n-Jog. The event raised $55,000 for the homeless pets currently waiting to be adopted from the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City’s no-kill shelter.

Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who worked behind the scenes and on the day of this annual event to make it a success. Thank you to the 30 companies that sponsored the event.

At the Humane Society we see firsthand the thousands of pets cast aside every year. It was inspiring for the staff to see 2,000 people come together to celebrate the special bond between humans and dogs at this event.

Your support of Dog-n-Jog helps bring this community one step closer to becoming a no-kill community.

To learn more about adoptable pets or how you can help save animals’ lives, visit hsgkc.org.

Robin Rowland
Development director, The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City
Kansas City, Kan.

Controlling stray cat population

Helen Cosper (6/8, Letters) says Gladstone has too many wandering cats. Gladstone does limit the number of cats per household, but this has nothing to do with stray cats in the area, as “stray” indicates no owner.

Someone who truly wants to help with neighborhood stray cat overpopulation can visit www.alleycat.org, an organization that advocates trapping, neutering and returning as a method of reducing feral cat populations.

It is not cats that are “ruining the planet.” It is people who would rather complain than act.

Natalie Daney
Overland Park

Too many wandering cats

If the city of Gladstone would like to earn more money, why not make owners license their cats? Dog owners are supposed to keep these pets on a leash as well as license them.

A cat can bite a person as well as a dog. In our neighborhood the other day I counted eight stray cats in the cemetery behind my house, and that is not all that are in our neighborhood.

Before we know it, the Northland will not be a “city of fountains” but a “city of cats.” Can something be done about these pests, who are ruining the planet? There should be a limit as to the number each household can own, and they should have to keep them on their own premises.

I have tried mothballs, paprika and various sprays, to no avail. My flowers are being dug up, and the side of my house smells like a litter box.

Helen Cosper
Gladstone

Kind man tries to save dog

On the night of May 25, our 13-year-old shih tzu (who was nearly blind and deaf) somehow got out of our yard.

We found that our dog had been hit by a car, and someone had taken him to the emergency animal clinic on North Oak. We were told that he had been hit at Porter Ridge and 92 Highway in Kearney, and a young man brought him in. We are not sure if this was the person who hit him, but it doesn’t matter.

We would like to thank this young man. He could have just kept on going, but he picked up our dog and drove from Kearney all the way to the clinic on North Oak. Words cannot express how much this meant to us. We want this person to know that we commend his compassion and his sense of values.

We would also like to thank the emergency clinic. They tried for hours to save our dog, even with his severe injuries, and assured us he did not suffer before he died.

Please know that your acts of kindness are greatly appreciated.

Rick and Laurie Ratliff
Kearney

Pets valued more than coyotes

Joe Miele (5/31, Letters) says Leawood residents should learn to “peacefully coexist” with coyotes. The issue of what to do with these wild critters is simply a value proposition. Which animal is worth more in modern culture: Heidi the Dachshund or a “song dog?” If coyotes are to be protected, why not pesky skunks, house mice and termites? Are these not wildlife and a threat to our lifestyle as well?

Even with more than 70,000 coyotes legally killed in Kansas annually, the population is stable. Coyotes are efficient predators and are known to eviscerate and consume live “bunnies.”

People who respect wildlife appreciate the life cycle. Those who think Bambi is real find predation disturbing.

Coyotes do not discriminate between your pet, your baby or a road-killed possum. They don’t care how much you love your cat, so why waste resources to be humane to Wile E.?

Kill the coyotes. Heidi the Dachshund will thank you over and over.

David Zumbaugh
Shawnee

Shopping with dogs

On a recent Sunday, a friend and I went to the Plaza. At the bottom of the steps by McCormick & Schmick’s, a dog was tied up, alone. Assuming it was friendly, we went to say hello. He wasn’t. He growled at my friend.

Then his foot became caught in his leash. Three women approached and as one went to help him, he lunged and growled at her, too, scaring the life out of her.

Inside the restaurant, we saw the owners (two people) come out of Banana Republic. Why wouldn’t one person stay back with this dog? Just because he’s nice to you doesn’t mean he is with others.

I love dogs and would hate to see them banned from the Plaza because of irresponsible owners like this. Take them to walk and enjoy the outdoors, not to shop! Being tied up in an unfamiliar place while you shop doesn’t sound like much fun to me, either.

Cristin McNellis
Kansas City, Kan.

Learn to live with coyotes

While it is unfortunate that coyotes in Leawood have attacked and killed several dogs in recent months, the coyotes are not to blame for the incidents. To prevent future incidents, our own behavior should be modified. Just as we lock our doors and install security systems to guard against unwanted human activity, we also should humanely protect our property against unwanted wildlife encounters.

Keeping our cats indoors and our dogs leashed will prevent them from being attacked. Securing trash containers and clearing rotting fruit and dense weeds from our property will go a long way toward keeping coyotes away from our homes.

Trapping and killing coyotes is cruel and ineffective. By taking simple measures we can ensure that coyotes will not become a safety threat. To learn how to peacefully coexist with wildlife, visit www.AbolishSportHunting.com.

Joe Miele
President, Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting
Maywood, N.J.

Helping homeless people’s pets

The facts about homelessness are scary. Our unstable economy has caused more people to become homeless. When they have a pet, it becomes harder to find shelter and pet food.

More than 10 percent of homeless people have at least one pet, and more than 25 percent of people living in poverty have a pet. Their pets are nonjudgmental, offer comfort, give unconditional love and provide an emotional bond of loyalty. In some cases, they provide the homeless person protection and warmth.

Rolling Acres Memorial Gardens for Pets is collecting pet food and delivering it to Uplift Organization, which has agreed to distribute the pet food to homeless and impoverished people. Rolling Acres is a member of Feeding Pets of the Homeless, a nonprofit member organization that provides pet food and veterinary care to homeless and less fortunate people in communities across the United States and Canada.

You can help by donating pet food at Rolling Acres Memorial Gardens. Call 816-891-8888 or go to www.petsofhomeless.org

Genevieve Frederick
Founder and executive director, Feeding Pets of the Homeless
Carson City, Nev.

Don't kill the coyotes

I cannot believe that anyone would condone the killing of animals that are just trying to adapt to a changing environment (5/21, Local, "Trapping of coyotes gets Leawood OK").

When humans encroach upon the lands that animals have used for hunting for food for decades, the animals obviously have to move onto greener pastures. Small wild animals like rabbits and rodents are less available to them, so they scrounge for what is helpless and available. Cats are usually the first to go, then small dogs. These small dogs are also a threat to them as they see them as competition.

Capturing the coyotes and relocating them is better than killing them once trapped. That's just cruel. When I lived in California we had the same problem. Fortunately, most people were smart enough to keep their pets in. Too bad that not everybody is that smart.

Amy Rebel
Overland Park

I grew up in Lee's Summit in an area where coyotes are very common, and many outdoor pets in our neighborhood have been lost throughout the years. Although tragic, it is a well-known possibility and part of life if you coexist in an area with wild animals. However, you never heard us crying to the mayor to have the coyotes killed.

Coyotes are part of a natural ecosystem that was around long before our cookie-cutter subdivisions invaded every square inch of open land in this city. It is appalling that these creatures are being euthanized when we are the ones taking away all the wildlife refuges and nature.

Leawood's mayor even stated that people need to own up to the responsibility of watching their animals. You wouldn't leave your 2-year- old child outside unattended. Doesn't a family pet whom you love deserve safety precautions?

We think we can just kill animals off when they inconvenience us by coming into our yards, when we are actually taking away theirs.

Monica Jones
Lee's Summit

Weak protection for polar bears

Finally, after several years of lawsuits and thousands of letters, the Bush Administration has listed the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act (5/15, A-1, “Polar bear’s new status draws growls”). Aren’t we all glad?

Not so fast: There is a clause in the act that excludes global warming from the list of threats the federal government must consider when trying to protect polar bear habitat. Instead of “endangered,” the polar bear is listed as “threatened” and gets more limited protection than that provided by a global warming listing. Of course, global warming is the dire threat facing polar bears today, so this means nothing.

During the months leading up to this weak decision, oil leases were issued by the Bush administration in prime polar bear habitat. So what else is new?

Bette Grotegut
Plattsburg, Mo.

Parrots need loving homes

“Just because a bird can’t cry doesn’t mean it can’t hurt.”

Many people buy a parrot on impulse. They see a beautiful, talking bird in a pet store and think it would be fun to own. Only after getting the animal home do they realize the extent of care these animals need: expensive cages, toys to prevent boredom, nutritious food (not only seed), regular baths, fresh water, proper vet care and lots of attention. After a few months, the new pet is forgotten.

Many parrots are in rescue groups. Some parrots have issues: screaming, biting or even pulling their feathers out until they are bald and bleeding. These behaviors can stem from neglect, isolation, poor diet or abuse.

These parrots can still be wonderful companions if treated humanely and cared for appropriately. Parrots bond strongly with their owners, an important reason to find forever homes.

Parrot rescues are trying to keep up with the large numbers of unwanted birds. With long life expectancies and continued breeding, supply is greater than demand.

I adopted a second-chance bird from www.BeakNWings.org, an educational bird club and rescue group.

The best option is adoption.

Leslie Remington
Kansas City

Chaining dogs is cruel

May 18-24 is Dog Bite Prevention Week. One sure way to create a dangerous dog is to chain it to a tree or doghouse and leave it to pace the same patch of dirt for years on end. Though most people feel that perpetually chaining a dog is abhorrent, many others still do it.

Sadly, what makes for a lonely, agonizing existence for the dog also creates a dangerous situation for people. Hundreds of children are killed or seriously maimed every year by chained dogs.

Dogs are social animals, and when kept isolated from their “pack,” they can become pathologically protective of their sad patch of land. Many become aggressive time bombs. Too often, children looking just to “pet the doggy” pay the price.

Lawmakers are finally enacting laws that forbid chaining a dog for its life. It is time for Kansas City to follow the national trend and end this antiquated practice. Learn more at www.dogsdeservebetter.org.

Stacy Reeves
Area representative, Dogs Deserve Better
Overland Park

Spending money on pets

Why is it Margaret James’ (5/10, Voices) or anyone else’s business how people spend their money? If the couple wants to pay for their dog’s funeral (5/7, FYI, “For whom the bell tolls: Rover”), it’s their business. I read the article twice and did not see where they were asking for donations.

I hope the money Ms. James sends to “hungry children” gets to them and not the government.

Shirley Johns
Bonner Springs

To Margaret James, I would say M.Y.O.B., as I doubt seriously that she was asked to contribute. Perhaps she should focus on the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on this war and the food and health care that could have been provided to those in need here in our own country.

David Vaughn
Kansas City

Euthanasia of racehorses

I have been an avid horse ran fan for more than 60 years. Unfortunately, over this span of time I have seen more horses than I would have liked to see put down. On a few times when I visited Prescott, Ariz., I was up close enough to see the vet open his bag of needles and drugs to put down a young horse withering in pain. It is not a pretty sight.

Name the sport and I am certain you’ll find injuries of various types occurring most every day. Some might be career-threatening, but not life-threatening.

Let’s face it. Horse racing, like every sport, is a business, and a big business at that. The owners and trainers certainly do not want to lose their breadwinners. But horses’ legs being what they are, we can expect more stories like Eight Belles’, unfortunately.

R.C. Napper
Raymore

Cruelty of horse racing

The Kentucky Derby upsets me deeply. I fully agree with PETA (5/5, Sports, “Horse’s death upsets PETA”). I just think it’s so sad how they could all go whipping and racing young horses just for money.

I think racing a horse too hard would fall under animal cruelty. Racehorses don’t know if they’re in danger. It’s up to the owners to make sure they are OK. How many racehorses are put down due to injury? Their bodies are not mature enough to handle all the strain during a race.

Trainers are pushing young horses too hard. Horses aren’t physically mature until they are 4 or 5, and race training begins around 18 months of age or sooner.

Horse racing is a brutal sport and needs to be stopped. Many sweet horses could have gone to loving families instead of being forced to race and face deadly injuries.

Willow Onken
Lee’s Summit

Coyotes threaten people, too

Perhaps the loss of several family pets is not enough for Leawood city officials to do something about eradicating the coyote problem (4/23, Local, “Coyotes safe — for now”). Neither is the possibility they could eventually carry rabies. But recently a coyote attempted to carry off a small child from a park in Southern California.

Wake up, Leawood! Your residents pay high enough taxes to merit your concern.

Helen McDermott
Raytown

Death of racehorse

It’s too bad the horse Eight Belles died in the Kentucky Derby in such a horrible and painful way (5/4, Sports, “Triumph, tragedy at Derby”). This horse died in vain for all of those who participate in and profit from the horse-racing business.

Karen Marcel
Overland Park

Count me in as one who really can’t see the “sport” of horse racing when we race young horses on spindly legs for our “pleasure,” and then have to see one of the beautiful ones die on the track in full view of the pleasure-seekers.

There are all kinds of animal cruelty in this world, from dead or maimed fighting dogs, euthanized greyhounds and more thoroughbreds that are put down than anyone ever admits. Money made at the expense of God’s creatures. Shame on all of us for letting it happen.

L.R. Smith
Kansas City

Hog farm near soldier’s home

What kind of people would take advantage of a neighbor, let alone a deployed soldier? (4/28, A-1, “Hog farm puts soldier at war on two fronts”)

That the Penn family would pursue building a hog farm near their neighbor Randell Hettinger in Knox County, Missouri, without considering his home is bad enough. That they would try to take advantage of a soldier serving in Iraq is worse than unneighborly. It’s downright unpatriotic. They should be ashamed of themselves. I hope someone will stop them.

Cheri Wright
Kansas City

Vegan diet good for Earth

Thanks for The Star’s recent profile of a Kansas City resident making compassionate food choices (4/23, Food, “Vegan diet is a tribute to the Earth”).

More and more people are looking for humane-minded alternatives to factory farm animal products as a way to address both environmental and ethical problems.

Caring people are right to object to the way animals are mistreated on factory farms. It’s abusive to confine pigs, hens and calves in cages so small they can hardly move. No personal choice, including the type of car we drive, has as much impact on the environment as our food choices do.

Humanesociety.org/recipes has more information about adding more healthy and delicious animal-friendly foods to your diet.

Mary Prewitt
State director, The Humane Society of the United States
Lawrence

Leawood coyotes

I read with interest and empathy the dilemma faced by the city of Leawood to control the coyote problems in its southernmost housing developments (4/20, Local, "City to discuss coyote remedy”). I am sympathetic to Leawood residents who have lost cherished pets to coyote predation.

In my view, the problem is significant and far-reaching. I suspect that the Kansas City metropolitan area ranks near the top of metro areas nationally in urban sprawl, perhaps just after Atlanta. The true costs of unchecked sprawl are not just the incursion of houses into former wildlife habitat but the extension, maintenance, future replacement and ongoing administrative costs of expensive low-density urban infrastructure including streets, bridges, interstate highways, utilities, public transportation, public works and police services.

I wince when I fill my car with $3.60 gasoline, but I think there’s hope. The silver lining in that cloud may be better than we think in terms of our built environment. As the true cost of gasoline moves to a parity with that paid by European nations, I suspect that egregious urban sprawl may ultimately be stopped or dramatically controlled, even in the Kansas City area.

Gas prices of $7 or $8 a gallon may just hold some great benefits for the future of American cities.

Chuck Stewart
Westwood

Vicki Bishop of Leawood (4/23, Letters) writes that she is an “animal lover,” but has not seen her cat, Soccer, in five months. She blames the coyote population.

A true “animal lover” would not let a pet run loose. City ordinances against allowing pets to run free are widely ignored in the case of cats.

My five cats were all strays, rescued from various pitiful conditions, and while one of them, Mascara, loves to roll around on the front porch when she has a chance to dash out when I open the door, she knows that the food, toys, litter boxes, and safe places to play and sleep are indoors.

A little eight-pound cat is no match for the many dangers of the outdoor life: cars, dogs, cruel humans or coyotes. Responsible pet owners keep their pets indoors.

Elaine Hines
Kansas City, Kan.

The wolf, being kin to the coyote, is a totem for Cub Scouting: It is a merit badge. Many dens are named Coyote Den. Boy Scout campouts are frequented by the yipping and squealing of countryside coyotes, where they hunt and live. They are singing to the night sky, the stars and the moon.

Coyotes were here first; it’s coyote territory. Should the same thing happen to them as the Native Americans and their bison?

If outlying property owners want to protect their territory, then let them plant the traps in their own yards. These exploding traps have a recoiling mechanism that draws the coyote in closer, gradually allowing no room for struggle, only strangulation. No one would want to see that happen to a kid or pet.

The ugly part of “coyote ugly” is the people who want to destroy them for their own convenience.

Hutch Moshier
Tonganoxie

Kittens dumped in trash

This is for the lowlife who threw five little kittens in two trash bins in Lenexa on April 22.

By not keeping them together, only two were rescued by some Sprint employees. The other three were found a day later. One got a home, but two were hauled off by Animal Control. Just so you know, one of those two did not look in very good shape. My heart was broken at seeing that little body crumbled and hardly moving.

There are plenty of shelters you could have taken them to. You are an irresponsible pet owner and a cold-blooded murderer.

D. Jeanine Wilson
Raymore

Pick up after your pets

My husband and I own two large dogs. We exercise them by walking three times a day through the Woodson Estates and Timber Valley area. Lately (maybe because of the warmer weather) people are approaching us and accusing us of allowing our animals to “do their business” on people’s lawns.

Many people in our neighborhood have large dogs and don’t pick up after them. We see it every day. Others allow them to run loose in the early morning hours, and we are being blamed for all of it.

We carry a large black bag, complete with plastic baggies and scoops, to be sure that we leave no mess behind. We wouldn’t mind so much being questioned by folks who don’t see us pick up, but the yelling and cursing at us really gets on our nerves.

People, if you are a pet owner, be a responsible one so that those of us who are don’t have to take the blame for your actions.

Joyce Kidd
Kansas City

T-Bones and Michael Vick

Mike Hendricks writes that he is bothered by the T-Bones’ plans to bring in Michael Vick for an animal shelter fund raiser (4/18, Local, “T-Bones humor is truly minor league”). Well so am I, but for completely different reasons.

Hendricks is concerned that we might rub Vick’s nose in the mess he made: a football star who ruined his life. I should hope we would. I should hope anybody in attendance stops only one step short of stoning him to death. To show that man (and I use the word loosely) the light of day for any reason is too good for him.

While it is ostensibly for a good cause (not for T-Bone publicity, I wonder?), there are certainly many positive theme nights they could come up with to raise funds for local animal shelters. What Vick did is despicable beyond imagination, and if the T-Bones go through with this, so are they. Rest assured they never see another dime of mine. I encourage others to permanently stay away, too.

By the way, I’m not even a pet owner.

Ken Harbeck
Overland Park

My wife and I are avid baseball fans. We attend 15 to 20 Royals games a year and travel each summer to a couple of out-of-town major league ballparks in our quest to visit all 30 of them. Several friends have tried to get us to go to a T-Bones game, but we never have. After reading about their promotions, we never will.

The promotion poking fun at Michael Vick’s arrival at federal prison is embarrassingly juvenile, tasteless and insensitive. I worked in a maximum security prison for a year and can tell you that there is nothing remotely funny about prison. Making light of someone else’s miseries, even when self-inflicted like Mr. Vick’s, is the sign of an insecure, petty and unimaginative individual.

Surely the T-Bones can find a better way to raise money for animal shelters. After reading Mike Hendricks’ column in The Star, it appears that this is only one of countless ridiculously tasteless promotions the T-Bones have put on.

I go to baseball games to watch baseball. Goofy promotions won’t get me to the ballpark.

Kerry Strayer
Kansas City

Editor's note: The T-Bones say they have dropped plans to mention Michael Vick in the promotion, which will focus on animal safety and adoption.

16 puppies, many concerns

Why is The Star showcasing irresponsible pet owners? (4/18, Local, “Please, just don’t tell me it’s a dog’s life”)? A photo showing 16 mixed breed pups and telling the story of two unneutered family pets is not something to brag about. I’m sure there is an excuse that they intend to find homes for all 16 large-breed pups. Does that mean 16 other dogs currently in a Kansas City-area shelter will be euthanized?

Please don’t continue to add to the numbers of animals that need a home. And please, Kansas City Star, don’t advertise for these irresponsible owners.

Lisa Zingsheim
Kansas City

My heart was heavy as I read about Shiner, pictured with her litter of 16 puppies. I felt tremendous sympathy, not for the “human help at feeding time” Shiner’s owner, Barb Dennison, apparently needs, but for all the shelter animals whose chances of adoption dwindle every time a litter is born.

The Star chose to spotlight this reproductive rarity. How about showing a picture from a shelter of all the homeless dogs, cats, kittens and, yes, adorable little puppies whose owners’ actions were equally careless and misguided?

Charmaine Ward
Prairie Village

While supporting the random product of a Lab-Rhodesian ridgeback coupling and investigating it for its record-breaking qualities, I am aghast that The Star did not take the opportunity to at least mention, if not laud, the efforts of No More Homeless Pets in Kansas City and its low-cost spay and neuter clinic.

Sixteen homes to find. Will these potential owners take time researching these puppies’ breed characteristics, or will they be impulse buys? Will the breeder take back the adolescents that become no longer convenient, or will that just be someone else’s problem?

Will they be spayed or neutered before going to their new homes?

If we were all more responsible in our pet ownership, then one day we would indeed have a record worth celebrating: no more homeless pets in Kansas City.

Angus Thom
Riverside

Coyotes in Leawood

Where are the cats? The Star’s article (4/20, Local, “City to discuss coyote remedy”) failed to mention the number of missing cats in Leawood.

I live at 126th and Mission Road and have been looking for my cat, Soccer, for five months. One could drive around the area mentioned in your article and see numerous signs posted for missing cats — owners pleading for their cats to be found and fearing the worst.

Driving to middle school at 7:20 a.m., I personally watched a coyote run through the yards of Cherry Creek (west of Mission Road). It is a scary sight. I understand the coyotes have nowhere else to go, but I also fear the aggressiveness of these animals and worry what will be their next victim.

I am an animal lover and fully support the city of Leawood to take action on removing these coyotes. It is the right thing to do.

Vicki Bishop
Leawood

As a small-dog owner and wildlife advocate, I know it is my responsibility to protect my domestic animals as well as the surrounding wildlife and the environment. This is not a novel theory. I am shocked and bewildered at the ignorance of homeowners who react violently if someone’s fence is the wrong size, the landscaping isn’t up to snuff and the ignorance of understanding surrounding wildlife.

People who don’t educate themselves and expect wildlife to cater to their whims are frankly irresponsible. Anyone who has the gall to say the Collarum is a humane trap has obviously not done their research at collarum.com. Not only is this inhumane; these traps are dangerous for domestic pets and children as well.

It takes a village to raise children and be responsible for our environment and wildlife. Wake up and smell the coffee. Educate yourselves Leawood residents, and grow up.

Kathy Much-Lipschutz
Leawood

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

Cruelty to animals

This is regarding the reports about dead and mutilated dogs found in a cemetery. The crime in and of itself is frightening enough.

What’s even more frightening, however, is the thought that such sick minds would only need a short step from harming innocent animals to harming innocent human beings.

Let’s hope and pray these monsters are caught and brought to justice before that happens.

Carol Leonard
Kansas City

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

Something fishy

The U.S. Corps of Engineers spends tens of millions of tax dollars each year dredging our rivers for a diminishing amount of commercial barge traffic. Now they want to dump truckloads of dirt into the rivers to enhance fish spawning (3/27, A-1, “The dirt on a fish-saving plan”).

Is this not burning our tax dollars from both ends?

Steve Cunneen
Leawood

Trapping beavers

C.W. Gusewelle, a person who proclaims to love animals, has displayed another side to himself.

I refer to the column (3/16, Local, “Busy beavers better lie low”) in which he states that his annoyance with beavers caused him to persuade two young sons of a farm friend to try trapping them.

He says the beavers have no right and no business on his lake. I would point out that they have been there thousands of years before him and are just doing what comes naturally. How would he like it if one of his precious dogs got caught in one of these traps? Shame on him.

Alice Bentley
Kansas City

Border-hopping geese

Arthur Kinder writes, “Why can’t the United States find a way to rid us of the illegal Canadian Geese? (3/14, Letters, “Pesky intruders).
Arthur, the ancestors of these geese were here long before yours and mine. We are the ones that filled in their wetlands, built parking lots and, yes, put in lawns. I think they have done a fine job of adapting to intruders — us. You will need to adapt and coexist, also. They have a right to be here.
To be fair I have to disclose that I own a border collie.
William Johnston
Overland Park

Coyotes and small pets

My Pekingese dog was seconds away from being torn apart by a coyote who jumped over our fence to attack her.

Fortunately I was watching her from our screened-in porch and was immediately able to scream, run into the yard and scare off the coyote. The coyote had my dog in its mouth but dropped her and ran off, jumping over the fence once again.

I live in a fully developed residential area. Coyotes do jump fences to enter yards of inhabited homes with lights on and people nearby. You must be close to your leashed pet at all times, day and night.

Animal Control officers have reported several cats and small dogs killed recently, most likely by coyotes.

I am aware that we have to coexist with wildlife, but we must also know how to protect our pets from these escalating attacks. After emergency veterinary care and hospitalization, my beloved dog is doing well.

I wish to make others aware of this danger so that no one else will go through the situation my dog and I endured.

Patricia Wolf
Leawood

Pick up after dogs

My wife and I decided to take our two Rhodesian ridgebacks for a walk recently on the Plaza. Good exercise for us, and the dogs get some people time. I was frustrated to see where some dog owners had let their dogs poop right on the sidewalk! Not only once, but twice.

If you can’t pick up after your dog, then don’t take it to the Plaza. Don’t ruin it for the responsible people who don’t allow their dogs to do this in public places.

Greg Miller
Lee’s Summit

Tributes to pets

March 9 you printed a heartfelt letter from a family who lost their beloved dog, and the thoughtfulness of their veterinarian, Paul Diehl. Whether it was a misprint in the paper or perhaps the family misunderstood the name of the veterinary clinic, but the name of Dr. Diehl’s clinic is Hecker Animal Clinic.

I, too, have had my pets treated at Hecker Animal Clinic, and have found the compassion of the doctors, technicians and staff members to be beyond measure. In the last year, we lost an elderly cat (18) and two dogs (14 and 12), and each time, our vet, Brock Exline, made a donation to the KSU Pet Trust Fund in each pet’s honor. It still moves me to tears.

To the doctors and staff at Hecker Animal Clinic: You deserve all the fine recognition you get. Thank you for all you do.

Cynthia Schudel
Kansas City

In response to the letter from Jim and Gretchen Leftwich (3/9)http://www.kansascity.com/309/story/523002-p3.html regarding the loss of their beloved dog in January, my heart goes out to them at this difficult time.

I, too, was touched by a donation from my veterinarians, Gary Modrcin and Fred Schroeder, and the staff of College Boulevard Animal Hospital. It was because of their generous donation and the beautiful letter of sympathy from Kansas State University that I learned about K-State’s Whispering Garden.

This is an outdoor tribute to animals that have greatly enriched our lives. It is located on the College of Veterinary Medicine campus.

For more information, call (785) 532-4013.

Thank you to all the wonderful veterinarians and their staffs and to programs like the one at K-State that help us cope with the loss of a tremendous companion animal.

Ginger Cook
Overland Park

Pesky intruders

As most of us agree about illegal immigrants who get into the United States from south of the border, I have yet to hear much talk about the flying immigrants that cross our northern border from Canada that tear up our lawns, leave droppings, spread disease, etc.

Why can’t the United States find a way to rid us of the illegal Canadian Geese?

Arthur Kinder
Kansas City