THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610110006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 33 lines
As suggested by Patrick Lackey in a column Sept. 12, there are other steps everyone can take which will help to solve the pet overpopulation problem:
1. Don't breed your pet. There are simply not enough homes for all of them.
2. Adopt a pet from an animal shelter. You will get unconditional love from your pet and save a life as well.
3. Owning a pet is a lifetime commitment. Don't adopt a pet unless you are willing to assume this responsibility.
The Norfolk SPCA is struggling to continue to provide shelter to the homeless and unwanted animals of our city. Unfortunately, we have had to reduce the numbers of animals coming into our shelter and many of the other area shelters have taken on some of this burden.
This was indeed a lesson in regionalism - the way a change in one city affects another city. In the Sept. 8 Beacon, Sharon Adams, executive director of the Virginia Beach SPCA, responded to the number of phone calls from Norfolk citizens about their unwanted animals by saying, ``This is driving me crazy.''
The fact that so many beautiful, healthy, adoptable pets are euthanized because they are unwanted and there are not enough homes for them is breaking our hearts.
KATHRYN P. KING, president
Board of directors
Norfolk SPCA
Norfolk, Sept. 16, 1996 by CNB