Animal Shelters

I don’t know Doris Romeo personally, but before we convict her for her failed attempt to give aid to animals that have been abandoned by their owners, we had better take a closer look and see who the guilty parties really are.

To receive an education about homeless animals and their fate, go and stand outside one of our city’s so-called animal “shelters” and see the parade of citizens from all walks of life and from every economic and ethnic background bring their trusting companion animals to mostly die by lethal injection.

Excuses from, “My boyfriend or girlfriend doesn’t like this cat or dog” to “Well, I am moving and my new landlord doesn’t allow animals” to . . . “I just changed my mind and I really don’t want this pet.”

Now for those of you who carelessly treat their companion animals like possessions to be disposed of at a whim, like old clothing . . . perhaps you need to be re-educated.

Perhaps our City Council and state legislators should pass stiff fines for anyone who comes to a shelter to turn in their pet and do a week or two of community service there.

Perhaps there ought to be a spay and neuter ordinance in the city of Los Angeles so that we don’t have so many to think about . . . and perhaps we all ought to ask why isn’t the Department of Animal Control doing its job?

MARLENE A. GOODMAN

Sherman Oaks