Letters to the Editor

People appreciate a well-sung national anthem

To the Editor,

On October 28 my husband and I attended the Livingston County Athletic Association Championship swim meet, hosted by Haverling High School.

We are proud to say we were there to watch our granddaughter, Margaret Markham participate for her school, Honeoye-Falls, Lima.

The meet couldn't have gotten off to a better start than with the beautiful rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." It was sung by Haverling Junior Jodianne Lindmark. This young lady is to be congratulated; there have been too many versions that have been sung without any respect for our great country.

There were many others there who also voiced their appreciation, and we appreciated Jodianne sharing her talent with us. She is a ray of sunshine.

Dorothy Cullen Bath

Criticisms of SPCA unfair, ungrounded

In response to the derogatory letter about our SPCA on Nov. 12. , the Courier "headline" reads like fact, not as an opinion of one. You are responsible for a huge misprint about an organization that YOUR paper tries to help.

As for the letter itself, first not only is staff belittled, the letter is a put down to the many volunteers of and donors to this great organization. Secondly, your frustration is felt by many as far as dropped off pets. Dozens if not hundreds of animals are neglected or dropped off annually. I can NOT change the morals of people that drop off animals but I can stand up for our local SPCA staff. I have been involved with this SPCA since the 80's. They do a great job defending and protecting animals. They as well as our local veterinarians inform citizens what THEY themselves can do to protect their pets from multiplying and from diseases like the rampant feline leukemia.

Each citizen that brings home a new cutie cuddly kitten that will grow up to be "just a cat" with NO vet care or measures to STOP overpopulation of animals or disease is the real problem. Always has been.

DO not misportray the lifeline of the strays and neglected. The very group that goes above and beyond caring for the citizens discarded animals. This SPCA deserves thank yous and more funding. Negative letters only slow down much needed compassion for the animals and donations to the shelter.

For everyone- Do NOT drop off your neglected pets at another citizen's door. Take responsibility for your OWN pets and GET THEM VACCINATED. If you do not, then you have sentenced every stray and the other non vaccinated pets that run around Bath to death. Then it spreads to the more rural areas as we try to help by taking home a kitten... a kitten that was healthy looking when we got it but that probably just introduced the disease to our own neighborhood. So the story continues...

Everyone can do something proactive instead of just complaining. Remember... this as in other issues~ If you are not part of the solution , YOU are part of the problem.

Debra Ackley Hammondsport

SPCA needs YOU to volunteer

It seems that Mr. Chapman has a bone to pick w/the SPCA. I happen to do volunteer work at the SPCA and know the personnel at the shelter. They are the hardest working and most caring indivdiuals you could ever ask for. To state that they are unresponsive is insulting to them and to me. The SPCA prioritizies the problems as they occur in terms of severity. Mr. Mazzo is an Animal Cruelty Invesigator and he is running ragged with much more serious situations. Mr. Chapman's issue, I'm sure, is low on the list, unfortunately. Eating birds and squirrels is not that critical. Dog bites and criminal actions are. If the cat was on Mr. Chapman's porch then the cat must have considered the porch safe haven. Why didn't you take some personal responsibility and capture the animal and work with the SPCA instead of against? Did you follow up with your Bath Animal Control Officer? Carl and Ruth Tuttle 583-2430. The SPCA is not able to address every feral cat situation - it is a societal problem. The SPCA also is a non-profit agency. If they seem unresponsive it is because they are very busy. They are busy because they are understaffed and over capacity.

Volunteer!! We are always looking for people to help out.Take some pop cans to the shelter. Donate some badly needed cash for food, electricity, and the rest of Mr. Mazzo's salary. $25K support from the county does not go very far. When is the last time you visited the shelter, Mr. Chapman? Come and take a good look around and see for yourself. Take the time to talk w/the people that run the place. They aren't the incompetents you are making them out to be. Get involved - Contribute your time and money. It will make you feel good. Sounds to me like you need it. Pet a kitty - I do every day.

David S. Peterson Savona