Animals in bonfires

With regard to “Volunteers patrol Lag Ba’omer bonfires to rescue animals from flames” (May 15), Shahar Liani and her legion of volunteers go throughout the country on Lag Ba’omer and are on the lookout for anyone hurling innocent animals into the blazes. These volunteers reach into the flames to take out the burning animals, with the perpetrators chasing after them.

Teenagers who throw small, defenseless kittens and puppies into bonfires to watch them burn are mentally sick and cruel cowards. They do not throw large animals into the fire, and the reason is clear: A large dog is strong and the cowards only pick on the defenseless.

These are the same cowards who will gang up on a weaker person to harm him, or will beat a woman. They might go farther and set fire to a human being – and as we know, it has been done already in Israel by a sick teen.

Police should be on the lookout for these teenagers and have them spend time in jail with hardened criminals and see how it feels to be defenseless. BARBARA GINSBERG Ma’aleh Adumim

I have never been so shocked and angry. Is this truly Israel where I read this horrendous item about cats and dogs being thrown into bonfires?

Where were these disgusting children spawned? Who are their parents to bring them up in this manner? I couldn’t sleep for the images haunting me, nor could I believe that this could happen. And these young monsters will go in the army?

I truly hope that when caught, the culprits have severe punishments meted out.

If ever there was a case for banning the bonfires, this is it. LINDA SILVERSTONE

Herzliya Pituah

I read about Jews hating Jews and the proposed new law being introduced by Shas to not recognize non-Orthodox streams of Judaism, and then I read about brainless teenagers killing God’s little animals in bonfires and wonder if it is time for me to move on elsewhere.

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said: The greatness of a nation is shown by the way it treats its animals. This country still has a long way to go. GERALDINE THEMAL

Kiryat Tivon

On Sunday night, my wife and I did the only sensible thing we could do: We sat in our apartment, closed all the windows and turned on the air conditioning. We even kept our cats from going onto our balconies – why should they have to inhale air poisoned by irresponsible people of all ages who insist on wreaking environmental havoc?

What I didn’t realize until I read reporter Sharon Udasin’s “Volunteers patrol Lag Ba’omer bonfires to rescue animals from flames” is that some sadistic teenagers are intent on enhancing their Lag Ba’omer celebrations by throwing live cats and dogs into the bonfires, and only the efforts of some dedicated volunteers prevent them from doing just that.

Should there be an organization devoted to limiting the whole bonfire business to events sponsored and supervised by municipalities, count me in. FRED CASDEN Ma’aleh Adumim