SPCA took too long to act in rescuing puppy-mill victims
The SPCA is the only governing body that can legally seize an animal in distress.
They received complaints about the Langley puppy mill in the news this week beginning in 2009, but only acted now. As a result, those dogs have suffered unimaginable horror for years at the mercy of their owners because no one helped them.
The same owners are disputing the seizure of some of their puppies, while the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is recommending charges. These owners shouldn’t only face jail time, but they should also have their property seized by the government and have a lifetime ban on owning animals. But until the law drastically changes, animal suffering will continue. No one should wonder why private groups act illegally to rescue animals in distress.
Cheryl Berti, White Rock
Slam animal abusers
Crating animals and leaving them to wallow in their own excrement, taking virtually no care of them, feeding them who knows what or how often and profiting a thousand dollars or more for each poor little puppy is not only inhumane, disgusting and cruel, it is criminal.
These aren’t dog kennels, they are gulags. The people running them must be severely punished, not only to send a message, but also to give the poor animals and the people who care for and about them peace of mind.
John Ratcliff, Ladner
Euthanasia hurts doctors
I agree with letter-writer Mary Holtby that liberalizing euthanasia laws is bad not only for weak, elderly, lonely and depressed people who will be encouraged to end their lives, but also for the physicians who will be forced to violate their Hippocratic oath: First Do No Harm.
Many doctors will be forced to violate their freedom of conscience, an act that will demean them and make them susceptible to government control.
Jiti Khanna, Vancouver
TPP deal is bad for Canada
The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, created by corporations for their benefit, will affect 40 per cent of the global economy.
It allows companies to sue nations if their right to make a profit is impeded. If Canada wants to enact environmental or health laws that hurt profits, they can sue in a secret tribunal. This is a bad deal for Canada, which will lose its sovereignty.
Shelley Bevandick, Delta
‘I resent doing the city’s job’
If cities put as much energy into the housing crisis as they do with their ridiculous recycling program, we’d be further ahead.
I feel like my house has become a transfer station. We now have a blue bin, green bin, grey bin and soon a black bin. Our property taxes have gone up in Richmond and I resent doing the city’s job. It’s a joke.
Leslie MacDougall, Richmond
Cooper whitewashes Harper
I’ve wondered why it has taken so long for someone to initiate a myth of Stephen Harper’s leadership and contribution to Canadian society. Thanks to Barry Cooper’s op-ed Feb. 10 I wonder no longer.
His piece was nothing but a publicity plug for a book written by a self-admitted Harper fan. To support his claims, Cooper could have included Harper’s quote that no one would recognize Canada when he was finished with it. That is how Harper’s time in power should live on in our memories.
Rob McDougall, Creston