Opinion

Letters to the editor, June 30

TBO.com
Published: June 30, 2012

Shelter solutions

The major problem that animal shelters face is an excess of unwanted dogs and cats. There are some helpful steps that can be taken to alleviate this situation.

One is spaying or neutering of all pets that are not intended for breeding. Most people would prefer to have their animals spayed-neutered. The problem is the exorbitant fees charged by veterinarians. If every veterinarian would donate one day per month to a free or low-cost spay-neuter program, this problem would soon end.

I recognize the argument that if you can't afford medical care for your animal, you shouldn't have an animal. The philosophy does nothing to address the issue of the animals no one cares about reproducing.

During the 10 years I lived in Mexico, I helped in spay-neuter clinics that drastically reduced the number of unwanted animals on the streets.

Another issue is charging extra license fees for unneutered animals. If an individual wishes to breed their animals, they should pay a special fee for that right.

Neither of these is a cure-all, but they are ways to begin reducing the number of animals who end up in shelters.

Valiene Heckart

New Port Richey

Invest in future

Columnist Marty Moore wants the government to do things it was never intended to do: take care of child care expenses and health care costs, including pre-existing conditions. It has never been the government's responsibility to do either.

I will agree there is an income disparity but not created by the big business but by unions who hold companies hostage for more money. They in turn pass the costs on to the consumers, whose buying power has now been reduced.

The vicious cycle created by government handouts will continue as long as people refuse accountability. Marty never mentions the millions who deliberately live off the system for decades without a care for those children with pre-existing conditions or college tuitions.

President Barack Obama has one thing right: We need to redistribute the money going to the lazy to those making an effort. A janitor can be become a millionaire. All he or she has to do is invest in their future.

Robert Jonatzke

Holiday