Focus on the owners, not the pets

To the editor:

Regarding Cape Girardeau's decision that homes should limit their pet population to four animals is absurd.

It isn't the number of animals that is the problem. It is the people who care for the animals. I had at one time in Lewisville, Texas, a total of 22 animals in my home. It wasn't dirty. It didn't smell except when the dogs needed a bath. All my pets were spayed or neutered, and all were up to date on their shots. They also were on heartworm preventive and received a topical treatment for fleas and ticks. You could drop by any time to visit and my house would be clean. I also worked during all that but came home at lunch every single day to let the animals outside. Every animal I had was a stray or rescued from the streets or taken from animal control to save it.

To limit the number of pets a person has doesn't stop the neglect or abuse of animals. All it does it make a person hide his true numbers or create more lives taken by animal control.

Deal with neglect of pets individually. Don't punish those of us who save and care for the over-populated pets. I beg of you to reconsider.

LAURA HOLLOWAY, Lilbourn, Mo.