End practice of selling animals
Sadly, uncaring pet owners continue to abandon their pets. ("Wardens to take action over strays", Mercury, October 5).
Although the Mercury article concerned stray dogs in Blaby, abandoned pets, particularly dogs and cats, are a national problem. There is an over-population of pets and too few people to adopt them.
Rescue centres are full, irresponsible owners fail to have their pets neutered or spayed and, worse still, some people breed animals for the pet trade and financial gain.
In the same Mercury as the article, there were two columns advertising puppies for sale for hundreds of pounds.
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Cats are a less lucrative investment, but there were pedigree kittens for £150 each.
With the exception of specific breeds of dog such as guide dogs, I believe breeding animals solely to make money is immoral and unacceptable. People wanting a pet should go to a rescue centre.
Elizabeth Allison, Aylestone.
With regard to the letter from B. Henze ("Theatre hard to find for outsiders", Mailbox, October 2) the most straightforward way of getting to the Rutland Street car park is to work round the ring road to St George's Way and follow the signs down Charles Street. I agree Curve is badly sited, and always havethought it would have been better built on the (still undeveloped) plot of land next to the Highcross car park on Vaughan Way.
R. Tilley, Braunstone Town.
Comments
by leicesterish
Thursday, October 11 2012, 5:50AM
“It matters not what we do, those of us who are responsible pet owners, who take our little mates to the vet for jabs at the right time, who provide a healthy diet and exercise, toys to stop them from bring bored and pet-sitters at times of enforced absence, will always be banging our heads against a brick wall - there will always be people who act first and think second. The people who buy pets as presents without discussing the idea first with the recipient, parents who attempt to pacify a sulking child, wannabe gangsters who think they look tough with a soft-as-butter pitbull, you just can't educate people who are too dimwitted to want to do the right thing.
I'd like to propose a reintroduction of the licence system, but the only people who'd buy a licence are those of us who do the right thing all the time anyway, those who would dump a pooch because they were bored of it aren't ever going to bother buying a licence in the first place.
The only choice we have to is try to educate our children. Teach your children right from wrong, teach them to respect life, and animals, and the world around them, and then just cross your fingers that you've done enough and that you've raised a balanced individual who knows what is and isn't acceptable.”
by graydjames
Wednesday, October 10 2012, 8:37PM
“For once I have a degree of sympathy with one of Ms Allison's letters, but I don't follow the logic or economics of how those who genuinely desire a particular breed of dog can satisfy their demand. Surely there has to be suppliers. Where will they come from if they are not allowed to breed for monetary gain. I cannot see a government department to do this being a very popluar use of tax-payers money. What other options does she have?
I would have thought it was the buyers who were at fault not the suppliers. Supply reacts to demand. It is simple economics.”
by karinfall1955
Wednesday, October 10 2012, 10:32AM
“Totally agree, animals are not a commodity and rescue shelters are overwhelmed”