Humane Society Staff Love Animals

* I am an employee of the Humane Society of Ventura County. I am writing in regard to your articles about my employer.

I am a kennel attendant. I work here because of my love for animals. It is my job to take care of them, to see that each and every dog gets a half-hour or more of exercise every day. I make sure they get a warm blanket at night, work with them in breaking any bad habits, and see that they get fresh water and as much attention as I can provide in between.

I am offended and appalled that you could insinuate we kill our animals. Because, yes, it is my job to hold the animals when they are being humanely euthanized, to talk to them and comfort them the best way I can. It’s not something I enjoy, but I realize it is a necessary part of life.

Instead of criticizing, maybe you could help us promote the spaying and neutering of animals to prevent our shelters from getting overpopulated with unwanted animals.

So don’t you dare sit there and question the concern and care my co-workers and I have for these animals. I’d like to see you here doing our job. It’s not you that sees dogs come in from abusive homes, so scared that if you try to pet them they cower down, so neglected and in so much pain they can hardly walk.

That is caused by people who do not care. When you put me and my co-workers in the same category as people like that you insult us and everything we stand for.

SARA HARPER

Ojai