LETTERS: DOGS DESERVE RESPECT AND LOVE

To the editor:

There was a Speak Out comment May 13 that I feel was in very poor taste. Yes, we are all allowed to have our own opinion. But if the person who called in about "Dogs don't deserve human treatment" had seen all that I have in the past five years, they might feel differently. I have four dogs of my own, and my daughter has one. They all live in my house, and they are treated in a way that shows they are loved. I have seen people take dogs that they have had for years to the local Humane Society. What do they think will happen to the dog? Most of the time, they feel the dog will be adopted and given a good home. In reality, too many times these dogs are put to sleep because people would rather adopt puppies.

Some breeders do not take care of the dogs. As you will recall, you had a story about the puppy mill where the dogs were so dirty and living in nasty conditions. We had a lady in our office building who believed all dogs belonged outside. She could not understand why her dog laid at the door on winter days. If she would have provided him a house, he would have gone in out of the cold. Instead, he laid by the door for the warm air coming under the door.

I take two of my dogs to work every day. One was picked up along the road when he was four weeks old. He, in return for my saving his life, has shown love and affection to me. He is protective of me. Yes, he is treated like a human. The other dog that comes to the office with me each day was adopted from the Humane Society. He is just six months old, and he is very friendly to everyone who enters the office. Everyone in the building loves to see Charlie. We have customers who bring their dogs by for us to see. And there are people who come to our office just to see the dogs.

There are dogs that save lives and help out handicapped people. There are rescue homes for abused and mistreated dogs, just as there are for people. The person who made the statement that dogs do not deserve human treatment must have never had a chance to see how many people love dogs. I show respect to my dogs. In turn, they shod me respect. They give unconditional love and never hold a grudge. They only want a pat on the head, food and fresh water. Dogs, like people, do not ask to be mistreated. They should not be placed in a pen or on a chain and never played with. They are not a possession. They are living, breathing creatures that God created, and they should be treated as such.

I admit that my dogs are all pampered and treated like humans. Maybe I go overboard. But they, just like children, are only with you a short time, and then they are gone. I have a Christmas stocking for each dog. They all receive presents at all gift-giving holidays. They even have their birthdays on the calendar so that we do not forget to celebrat that special day that they came into our lives. Yes, I have a child, and she is Sissy to all the dogs. If I ask any one of them where Sissy is, they go and find her. There is no greater love than the love between man and beast. We have come a long way from the wild dogs that roamed the earth to having them live in our homes and show respect for the humans that care for them.

This person needs to look around and see what is really going on in the world today. If people want to take their dogs to church to be blessed, then they should be allowed to go. Most churches have a nursery for small children so they do not disturb people in church. What is the difference between small children and dogs? When was the last time the caller was in church and hear a dog talk so you could not hear the pastor? If the caller would go to Sunny Hill Pet Center, he might see a dog coming out of there. There are dog salons for the dogs to be groomed. Even the president of the United States has a dog living in the White House. There have been many dogs in the White House. Read your history books.

In closing, I will state again that everyone is allowed to have his own thoughts, and I do have mine. However, to have someone pick on something or someone who cannot stand up for himself I feel is unfair. I have to voice my concerns on the matter. Please understand I do not get on my soapbox that often, but when it is something I care this much about, I could not just sit back and allow it to happen.

SHARRON A WERNER

Cape Girardeau