Lesson of Life

My son Andrew and I have the daily morning ritual of watching Sesame Street before we start our day at work and day care.

In this morning’s episode, a weak baby kitten was found by the characters on the show and cared for and nursed back to health. One of the characters, Luis, even slept with the kitten to make sure it would have attention through the night, if needed. Andy and I talked about the kitty and how glad we were so many people cared and helped to get the kitten well again.

Later in the morning while driving north on Interstate 5 to downtown from my home in Chula Vista, I had the ironic horror of observing dead baby kittens every two to four miles on the freeway, intentionally dropped from a moving vehicle earlier.

I wondered as I exited downtown how many more were lying on the road ahead, having faced a similar and terrifying death. This letter is to the person or persons who did this.

Did you try to find these animals homes? Did you check with local veterinarians or the Humane Society for placement? In my heart of hearts, I want to think you did. But something tells me you did an intentional act in disrespect of a small life. Your cruelty is reprehensible. I’m truly glad that my son, full of joy of the lesson of respect for even the smallest life shown on Sesame Street, didn’t witness this senseless carnage.

I don’t pretend to know all of the answers to the critical problem of pet overpopulation, but please, if this was an act of desperation, don’t do it again. Ask for help. And please, get your pets neutered or spayed.

LIZ ALEXANDER

San Diego