Busybodies or concerned citizens?
Editor: I would like to say that Mr. Silva was correct in his recent letter when he commented on people not having a deep understanding of what people are going through. He obviously has no understanding of the sacrifices his neighbors have made in order to own their own homes or the investment they make into making theirs a good community.
Are they really busybodies or just concerned citizens trying to save their neighborhood from turning into a slum because, let’s face it, if the slums and ghettos were really so picturesque, everyone would want to live there rather than praying for a way to get out.
And, as for good neighbors, they’re still out there if you take the time to get to know them and maybe even ask them for help.
However, I have to wonder first whether there are no friends, family members, or church community to whom he could turn for help.
Furthermore, if finances are the problem, then perhaps he should think outside the box for a solution. Here’s a thought: sell one of your many vehicles (preferably the one parked in the front yard), buy a weed whacker, skip a shower once a week and use that 10 minutes to maintain your yard.
When I first moved here one of the many things I loved about this town was how well cared for people’s homes and property were with inviting sitting areas on the front porches. Weeds and cars parked in the front yard are hardly quaint and inviting. Obviously there are deeper issues other than just finances and time at play here. I’m just saying that perhaps Mr. Silva should grow up and stop putting the blame on his neighbors who care about their community and accept responsibility for his actions.
How many animals are turned away?
Editor: This is in regard to the article in the Lodi NewsSentinel published July 19, 2017 with the headline, “Abandoned puppy recovering after hit by car.” I checked the city’s website
City Departments; Police Department; Animal Services) and found that the last time Animal Services statistics were posted was for the year 2015.
The City of Lodi’s animal shelter tracks a lot of information; however, it does not keep track of the number of times they refuse an animal surrender on the grounds that the facility is full. If callers or those who come to the facility are routinely told “no, we can’t take your pet because we don’t have room” how can the police department accurately report to the city council on what the unserved needs of the community are?
This vital information is also needed in order to properly manage the facility and plan for the future. Is it possible that people are abandoning their pets at these facilities after hours because they were told “no” by the shelter representatives when they inquired about relinquishing their pet?
It is impossible to answer that question without requiring that this data be tracked and reported on in a public forum? (e.g. annual report to the city council prior to budget adoption.)
Letters invited
The Lodi News-Sentinel welcomes opinions from its readers. Letters must be signed and include the writer’s address and phone number for internal verification purposes. All letters are subject to editing. Letters from local readers dealing with local issues are given priority. Letters from outside the local area are published at the editor’s discretion. Letters longer than 350 words will be cut to fit or returned to their writers. There is a holding period of 30 days between publication of letters by the same person unless no other letters are queued. Send letters to P.O. Box 1360, Lodi, CA 95241-1360; or email to