Palmer Events Center
Article on Pets Didn't Go Far Enough
RECEIVED Fri., April 11, 2008
Dear Editor,
Re: “Pet Sterilization Dogs City and Retailer” [News, April 11]: It is so hard to cover a situation this complicated in such a limited space, but Patty J. Ruland did just that. The cartoon at the top depicting Petland's business model is right on target except it neglects the horrible situations many of these animals come from before making it to the Hunte Corp.'s dog brokerage, Petland's primary supplier. As usual, the quote from Carol Adams just goes to show she lives in her own little completely-closed-off-from-reality world. The Austin Save a Pet ordinance was right on track until Adams stabbed the rest of the commission in the back (and if anyone wants to find the minutes to that Animal Advisory Commission meeting, you will find that is an exact quote from the meeting) and took Dr. Harold Blatt on her own to go and visit Betty Dunkerley, where the both of them shot down the ASAP ordinance.
Although Ruland did a great job with this article, for some reason no one, not even the Chronicle, wants to point out the 380,000 pounds of euthanized cats and dogs that went to the landfill last year at a cost of about $340,000 to the taxpayers, just for corpse disposal. That doesn't count the other $5.1 million (poor taxpayers footing the bill again) that was given to Town Lake Animal Center to operate in 2008. Quite an increase from the $4.2 million they spent last year. And of course, none of this takes into account the millions of dollars and countless hours of labor contributed by the hundreds if not thousands of volunteers and rescue groups in the Travis County area. An awful lot of money to protect someone's right to "do as they please with their property.” What about my right to not have to pay to clean up someone else's mess?
Hey, City Council members! Welcome to the 21st century! Now step up to the plate, grow some huevos, and pass a working spay/neuter ordinance.
Re: “Pet Sterilization Dogs City and Retailer” [News, April 11]: It is so hard to cover a situation this complicated in such a limited space, but Patty J. Ruland did just that. The cartoon at the top depicting Petland's business model is right on target except it neglects the horrible situations many of these animals come from before making it to the Hunte Corp.'s dog brokerage, Petland's primary supplier. As usual, the quote from Carol Adams just goes to show she lives in her own little completely-closed-off-from-reality world. The Austin Save a Pet ordinance was right on track until Adams stabbed the rest of the commission in the back (and if anyone wants to find the minutes to that Animal Advisory Commission meeting, you will find that is an exact quote from the meeting) and took Dr. Harold Blatt on her own to go and visit Betty Dunkerley, where the both of them shot down the ASAP ordinance.
Although Ruland did a great job with this article, for some reason no one, not even the Chronicle, wants to point out the 380,000 pounds of euthanized cats and dogs that went to the landfill last year at a cost of about $340,000 to the taxpayers, just for corpse disposal. That doesn't count the other $5.1 million (poor taxpayers footing the bill again) that was given to Town Lake Animal Center to operate in 2008. Quite an increase from the $4.2 million they spent last year. And of course, none of this takes into account the millions of dollars and countless hours of labor contributed by the hundreds if not thousands of volunteers and rescue groups in the Travis County area. An awful lot of money to protect someone's right to "do as they please with their property.” What about my right to not have to pay to clean up someone else's mess?
Hey, City Council members! Welcome to the 21st century! Now step up to the plate, grow some huevos, and pass a working spay/neuter ordinance.
Thanks,
Delwin Goss
Delwin Goss