LETTERS: PETS INVOLVE WONER RESPONSIBILITIES

To the editor:

This letter is for Phoenix. Phoenix was a dog we rescued from the Humane Society. He was meek, underfed and obviously abused. He was about eight months old and weighed 37 1/2 pounds. A month later he weighed 52 pounds. We did the usual, got him fixed, fattened up and began training. The scars on his nose were gone. His hip bones were no longer showing. Most of the time he actually listened. He was well on his way to being a great dog. Then the worst happened. We found a lump on his leg. We ran to the vet, jumped through hoops trying to figure out what was wrong with him, and did everything we could to make him comfortable.

Phoenix was 4-plus years young, and we were faced with the horrible truth. Cancer was taking those big brown eyes away from us. He endured more than any animal should. I'm just glad we were there for him, unlike the thug who left him to die.

In the future I hope that people are more caring of their pets. If you don't want the responsibility of owning a pet for life, then don't bother to have one in the first place. For those of you caring people who own great animals of your own, please remember to have your pet spayed or neutered. This way someday there won't be enough to go around to the people who neglect and abuse them.

For more information on what you can do to prevent animal abuse, contact your local Humane Society.

CAROL POOLE

Jackson