The Editor:
I am writing this letter wondering who people think they are?
It saddens me to hear of all the animal abuse that goes on. I just want to know what gives these people the right to harm an innocent animal? Better yet, what gives them the right to come into people's yards and steal their animals to harm them?
On May 13, 2012 at 3 a.m., my older cat and kitten were outside in my yard. I heard kids talking, then calling, "Kitty, Kitty," then saying, "there, we got him, let's go torture him."
By the time I got outside to the front yard, they were gone. My kitten is still missing and he could have feline leukemia.
What rights do these kids have to do that?
I am told that there are people in Estevan who have cat traps. They bait the traps and when they catch the cats, they take them for a drive and drop them off so they do not find their way back home. Who do these people think they are?
I understand there are lots of stray cats, but it is not right to take matters into their own hands. I mean my cats never leave the yard, so it is not the cats' fault that kids should not even be out at that time of the morning, taking them out of people's yards and dropping them off.
I just have one question: If these people can bait traps to catch cats, can pet owners bait traps to catch these kids who are stealing our pets? After all, they are roaming our streets late at night, stealing, damaging property and wandering in the parks.
The difference between a cat wandering around and bratty kids wandering around is the cat does not steal and does not damage people's property. They are out enjoying the weather.
Pet owners - we have to take a stand and start protecting our animals. I don't know about other pet owners, but my animals are like my kids. These people who are hurting our animals are the ones that we should fear. I sit and wonder what these people are really capable of doing to a child or an elderly person if they can harm an innocent animal because kids and the elderly are innocent too.
Am I wrong to think that as a pet owner, I should be able to let my pets out in my yard? Or is there no such thing as an owner's right to property that they live on?
I hope you publish this letter because I feel other pet owners should be aware of what is happening so they do not lose their pet like I have.
Thank you,
Catherine Foster
Estevan
