Speak up for dogs, the zoo
Quick action is necessary for pets at risk
NEXT TIME someone sees dogs in distress left in a hot vehicle with insufficient or no air, please find a rock or other hard object and smash out the window. In the meantime, get them some water and put them in the shade. Then call Animal Welfare and stay with the dogs until help arrives. If Animal Welfare doesn’t show up within 15 minutes, call again — they may need more information. The last thing you should do is leave the dogs in the car. MARY A. RATCHFORD Albuquerque
Editor’s note: Under the city HEART ordinance, city employees who determine there is an immediate danger are authorized to “enter the vehicle by whatever means necessary, without being liable to the owner.” The law does not address action by ordinary citizens. It does state “cruelty is any act or inaction that causes … physical or psychological pain, injury, damage or harm to an animal” and specifically identifies improperly leaving an animal in a vehicle as an act of cruelty.
Plight of animals is of little concern to our state
VERY GOOD editorial on the poor dogs left to die in the van. Another example of a shameful statistic for New Mexico in that our state shows a very low concern for the plight and abuse of animals. These situations do not seem to matter much to our elected officials, and therefore laws and penalties are lax to non-existing.
Another fact that concerns me is that no individuals stepped up to prevent this. There appear to have been many opportunities to break a window and prevent these deaths. I would plead (with) anyone who comes across this situation in the future to break a window and rescue the animal(s). Remember, a window can be easily fixed, but dead is dead. CONNY JONES Edgewood
Roadside zoo conditions need official attention
RE: LETTER, “Tiny enclosures, injuries appalling,” April 23
Animals at Albuquerque’s zoo aren’t the only animals forced to live in too-small spaces.
I know some cats who’ve been living for years in pens about the size of two outhouses. Being deprived of any kind of life that is natural for felines, they can’t climb, or explore or chase things. All these cats can do is sleep in the same spot day after day after day. Also, their litter boxes are within a few feet of where they eat and sleep and the pens often stink of urine.
These beautiful animals shouldn’t be anyone’s prisoners. There should be an ordinance to outlaw these roadside zoo conditions, but so far, (Bernalillo County) Animal Care Services isn’t even considering it. JUDY CRANE Tijeras
Dogs’ deaths are a repeated tragedy
RE: “Abandoned dogs left to die” Today’s most overused, and oftentimes, most meaningless phrase is: “It will never happen again.”
The latest example is the pronouncement from (Albuquerque’s) Animal Welfare Department that it is implementing best practices to prevent this from happening again. That could well be the joke of the day if it had not ended in the tragic death of five dogs. CLAUDE HERRERA Albuquerque
Volunteer to learn more about zoo, Botanic Gardens
RE: LETTER, “Tiny enclosures, injuries appalling.” April 23
As a five-year volunteer for Zoo Horticulture, I would like to bear witness to the quality and quantity of work performed at the zoo by four gardeners and 1-2 seasonal temporary staff for 64 acres of animal and people terrain, as well as greenhouses that supply the Botanic Gardens with plants. From repairing irrigation to safeguarding the zoo’s trees — and all life underneath — the gardeners still manage to maintain such a pleasing spot in the Downtown sprawl that a patron said to me, “I didn’t know there was more to look at than animals here!”
As for the animal keepers’ care, I saw tears coming to the jaguar lady’s eyes when “her” cat explored for the first time, its new spacious domain. And then there’s Gorilla Greg, who rests in such a soft spot in female gorilla Tuly’s heart: sparks — and objects — can fly when she sees him give a gardener a hug. Or proud papa Paul, taking baby giraffe photos.
I hope this Rio Rancho lady will come back, and better yet, volunteer to work here. I can tell her that planting flowers, raking leaves and pulling weeds is much more fun with elephants watching than it is in her own front yard! And some of those weeds end up recycled as a nutritious snack for the zoo’s inhabitants. SUSAN BECKER Corrales