Camp Pendleton Pets Left Without a Home

So much for Semper Fi. As young Marines face deployment and danger, many have had to leave behind their dogs and cats. Until now they could rely on the Camp Pendleton animal shelter as a last resort. But the folks in charge have decided the shelter is a budget buster and plan to close its doors (Feb. 6).

The Marines blithely assume that other area shelters will pick up the slack for them, despite the fact that budget cuts are inevitable and charitable donations declining. If the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton can’t take care of its own, including the dogs and cats made homeless by impending war, pet ownership should be banned on base.

Diane Calkins

Encinitas