LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Unwanted dogs are too plentiful

3/11/2014

Ideally, no healthy dog ever would be euthanized for behavior problems, especially easily correctable ones. But criticizing Julie Lyle, director of Lucas County Canine Care & Control, for doing her job doesn’t help (“Free-feeding to start at once for shelter’s food guarders; Commissioners make change to reduce dog killings,” March 5).

The real problem is that there are too many unwanted dogs. Rescue groups already take as many dogs as they can handle, and some really great dogs are still living in foster homes months after being pulled from local pounds.

Ordering Ms. Lyle to stop killing dogs won’t help unless there are programs and people to take care of them. What is she supposed to do with all the extra dogs?

Talk is cheap. Do Carol Contrada, president of the county board of commissioners, commissioner candidates Michael Hood and Kevin Haddad, and the editorial staff of The Blade do anything concrete to help unwanted dogs?

Complaints and criticism won’t save dogs. Action will.

SUSAN CHAMBERS
Sylvania Township

Replace Lyle with qualified pro
Julie Lyle assumed her role at the dog shelter with a lot of self-proclaimed compassion and hype about treatment of the animals under her control. Her recent actions are not those of someone who is doing everything she can to save as many adoptable dogs as possible.

The food removal procedure was not a fair test for hungry and abandoned dogs. How many dogs were killed as a result of this test?

It’s time that the Lucas County commissioners remove her from office, and replace her with a qualified interim director until a qualified professional can be hired. The new director should be required to seek counseling and instruction on evaluation from recognized animal professionals.

The dog problem is not easy to deal with. However, Ms. Lyle is not the answer.

DENNIS DiSALLE
Oiver Road

 

Lyle did right given conditions
It is sad when any healthy dog has to be killed, but if a food-guarding dog was adopted and bit the face of a child, what would happen? I would bet that the family that adopted the dog would sue Ms. Lyle and Lucas County, because they should have realized that a food-guarding dog could inflict severe injury.

Given that, what should a responsible dog shelter director be expected to do?

SANDRA HEYNEMAN
Havenwood Drive

 

U.S. should drop aid to Afghanistan
In response to your Feb. 14 article “Kabul releases 65 despite U.S. warning”: The United States should not concern itself with Afghanistan any longer and quit sending that country billions of taxpayer dollars.

We could use that money to help American taxpayers who have been unemployed for an extended time.

ROB GEIS
Bapst Avenue