Dogs that are abused abroad need help, too
I know just how Amanda Platell felt when she found and fell in love with a ginger-and-white kitten in Battersea Dogs Home (Mail).
I’ve just returned from a lovely holiday in north Cyprus, staying near Kyrenia. while there, my friend, a volunteer dog walker for rescue kennels in Leicestershire, suggested we visit Kyrenia Animal Rescue, that is high in the Besparmak Mountains and run by a lovely lady named Julie.
Julie went to Cyprus on holiday, went home and cried for three days, then gave up her prison officer job, came back and set up the animal rescue project.
Her centre relies on a stalwart band of predominantly British expats who volunteer to help with cleaning, feeding, watering and caring for the sick animals, undertaking DIY and doing their best for the 200 dogs, 34 puppies and 35 kittens and cats given refuge at the centre there.
The whole project is financed by donations.
over the past 13 years, a comprehensive neutering programme has significantly reduced the population of feral cats and dogs in north Cyprus. The centre has recently launched a scheme to teach responsible ownership to children, but it is constantly short of funds.
My friend and I spent five days walking dogs in the mountains to free them from their chains/cages for a little while, at least. And I, too, found true love, my ‘ knight in shining armour’. knight is a beautiful large five-year-old hound with big brown eyes who has spent all his life in the centre.
when he’s had his rabies jabs and blood tests and is micro-chipped, he’ll be coming to England in next year to live with me.
In 2011, it cost the centre 33,221 Turkish lira a month to care for these beautiful animals. we’re told more than four million people a week are watching Paul o’Grady at Battersea. Perhaps some would like to take a look at KAR’s website, kyreniaanimalrescue.org.
JEAN PARR, Scraptoft, Leics.
DIY hysteria
I wEnT to a large national DIY supplier to find some long strips of wood for a garden trellis. Those they had were 12ft long and wouldn’t fit in my car. The wood cost £ 11, but delivery would cost have cost me £20.
So I carried a bundle of eight to the in-house saw machinist, who told me he could only cut sheets of wood, for ‘ health and safety’ reasons. He suggested I came back the next day with my own saw.
I did this — only to be told that cutting wood in the timber yard was against health- and- safety rules. But I could cut the wood in the car park — ‘at my own risk’.
After some discussion as to whether I could use the ‘trade’ exit or the self-service checkout, I paid £13 for the wood (the price had somehow risen overnight), sawed the wood to the lengths I wanted in 60 seconds and went on my way, wondering.
I’m over 80 and have 70 years of DIY behind me, but I’m beginning to wonder how I’d survived the war and the years since it ended if DIY is so incredibly dangerous.
K. MILLS, Aberdeen.
Battle over borders
THE weakness of David Cameron in his negotiations with the Scottish nationalists might well be the final catalyst to the split up of the United kingdom.
Instead of being the strong leader the UK needs, he has been bullied into submission by Alex Salmond, who seems to have been allowed to win the argument to reduce the voting age for the referendum without even a debate in Parliament.
I find it hard to believe that the Prime Minister — the man who held all the cards, even the power to send the SNP away if they asked for too much — seems to be allowing the Scottish First Minister to trample all over him.
In 2014, when the SNP will play and replay the age old Bannockburn battle with relish, how many 16 to 18-year-olds will be seen marching through the streets with faces painted and shouting ‘Freedom’?
Indeed, will the SNP call in Mel Gibson to help by taking part in the 2014 activities dressed again as William Wallace?
It’s a bad mistake Mr Cameron has made — but, then again, he seems prone to ignore majority opinion on so many issues.
Many voters in Scotland will never forgive the UK government if the Scots are left to live in ‘Brigadoon’ because of the PM’s crass stupidity and unwillingness to listen to sound advice.
Sadly, it might already be too late now for our country. IAIN J. McCONNELL, Gifford, East Lothian.
Put parents in dock
AnoTHER frustrated police officer, PC Stephen Hudson, has lost his career because of a youth whom the prosecutor labels ‘a boy who was simply being cheeky’ (Mail).
what nonsense: this yob can’t have been a stranger to the judicial system and has probably had all the chances given to him in warnings and cautions.
For a 15- year- old, he would appear to have rather a busy criminal past as opposed to being ‘simply cheeky’.
As usual, the family blame the police for having to deal with him rather than themselves for failing to teach him proper values.
He obviously knows he has to hand over his property in the custody suite before he can be placed in a cell in case he has anything on him with which he could hurt himself or others.
what is the police officer to do — let the youth keep his property and put him in a cell and then watch his career end when the prisoner either harms or kills himself in the cell?
who would be a police officer when they have to risk their careers dealing with the young idiots some in society are breeding? The parents should be in court, not the police officers.
A man trying to do his job in trying conditions has lost it because of a young individual who for the rest of his days will probably be a burden on the welfare state and a thorn in the side of the judicial and prison systems.
PAUL MORLEY, Skipton, North Yorks.
VAT death-knell
AS THE owner of Mamma’s Italian Ristorante, I’d like to see a campaign to lower the rate of VAT for those serving the tourist industry, including restaurants.
I employ nine people, and after paying all their wages, rent and rates, and all my other overheads, I find myself unable to pay the quarterly VAT payment.
Twice, I’ve had to use my own money — but I can’t do that much longer. My takings are already 35 per cent down because of the recession. If the rate of VAT were reduced to 10 per cent, this restaurant would survive.
G. GIACOMINI, Blackpool, Lancs.
Backstage antics
In THE mid- Sixties, I regularly went as a guest to Top of The Pops, through a connection with an A&R man. DJ Jimmy Savile had a dressing room with an ‘in’ door on one side and an ‘out’ door on the other.
Girls queued up at one door for his autograph and five minutes later came out of the other, having left their knickers with him. It was a common joke at TOTP to see how many girls he could get through.
Name and address supplied.
Happy conferences
wATCHInG the political programmes on TV, I wonder how many people remember that both Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron celebrate their birthdays at the Conservative conferences each year (on october 9).
As a Conservative member for more than 50 years, I think this is a good omen for us.
JEAN WELHAM, Margate, Kent.
I nominate Seb!
VERY soon, the BBC will be asking us to vote for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year — and after such a remarkable olympic Games most of us will feel we’re spoilt for choice. But this, in a very real sense, makes our choice much easier. The outstanding personality of 2012 has to be Lord Sebastian Coe. FRED PHIPPS,
Shrewsbury.