Bible can lead us to higher moral ground
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.”
Does anyone read the Bible anymore? Maybe if they did, they would know what is the truth concerning today’s moral values. God does not change and neither do his principles nor commandments. They are eternal.
If this country doesn’t change, woe to us.
Carol Larsen
Niskayuna
TNR is most effective way to deal with cats
The July 13 Sara Foss column, “Keeping eye on cat concerns,” criticizes Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) without offering a better alternative.
In fact, TNR is the most humane and effective method of decreasing the community cat population and preventing rabies.
That’s why it’s supported by the New York State Conference of Mayors, New York State Association of County Health Officials, New York State Association of Counties, and many individual municipalities.
The only alternatives are a) doing nothing or b) trap-and-remove, which is a death sentence for feral cats.
Critics of TNR don’t like to admit it publicly, but the alternative they advocate is killing cats at taxpayer expense — an approach that has failed for many decades and that the public can no longer stomach.
Critics of TNR also ignore the fact that TNR programs address stray and abandoned pet cats as well as feral cats. Pet cats who show up in managed TNR cat colonies are neutered and rehomed.
As long as irresponsible cat owners keep dumping their pets, TNR is the only effective and humane solution. TNR will keep the feral cat population under control, reduce nuisance behaviors and keep these colonies healthy and well cared for.
Kathleen O’Malley
New York City
Sergeant’s attitude cuts at effectiveness
The July 14 Gazette describes the experience of reporter Haley Viccaro and photographer Peter Barber, who had a evening experience of riding patrol with police Sgt. Jeff McCutcheon, who checked out a minivan parked in Central Park.
The driver presented his license, which Sgt. Jeff McCutcheon took to the police car, ran it through his laptop and found no prior arrests.
Meanwhile, the driver continued to hold up his hands in the pouring rain, as shown in the picture. McCutcheon laughed, noting he didn’t tell him to do that, according to Ms. Viccaro.
Sgt. Jeff McCutcheon should be condemned for his contempt for a citizen and for his sadistic humor. A respectful police officer would have had the common decency to tell the driver to get comfortable.
This kind of attitude by some police officers can undermine their effectiveness in protecting the public, which in a democracy is the reason for their existence.
Frank Wicks
Schenectady
Still wondering how loud rope courses are
High ropes Glenville vs. high ropes Bolton Landing — the July 14 articles referencing these two locations, one of which the course received preliminary site plan approval and the latter in operation since 2007.
How ironic the Bolton Landing article describes a hum of zip line cables, echoing with the sounds of laughter and shouting climbers.
The same day, in a separate article, Glenville resident Michael Cellini said his proposed course will create a decibel level of approximately 52.6.
I wish your Gazette reporter inquired about the decibel level out in Bolton Landing. That would also have been newsworthy.
Joanne Hafler
West Glenville
The writer is director of TNR Education and Alliance for NYC’s Animals.
Money for dog could be spent on shelter
I am a dog lover. I have been all my life. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family that loves dogs and I have enjoyed dogs as members of my family most of my adult life.
Many of my dogs were adopted from shelters. I’m not so full of myself that I say I rescued them. Shelters do wonderful work and they deserve our support, especially financial support.
I read with great interest the July 15 Gazette article about Pongo, the 10-year-old beagle currently in the Gloversville Animal Shelter. The dog, abandoned by its owner and temporary guardian (both of whom are known) was found by city police one month ago and taken to the shelter. The temporary guardian has since been charged with cruelty to animals.
The shelter is now trying to raise $3,500 for surgery on a 10-year-old dog. I can’t help but wonder how many other, younger dogs, some of which may be killed if not adopted, could be helped by that $3,500.
How about this: The district attorney offers to drop the cruelty to animals charge if the dog’s temporary guardian or owner pays the money needed for surgery.
If that offer is rejected, Pongo should be kept comfortable until the end, gently put to sleep and the money raised in memory of Pongo should be used to support the many other dogs which the shelter cares for now, or will care for in the future.
Emerson Van Patten
Guilderland
Categories: Letters to the Editor
