For Archie and the others
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Editor,
I am proud to live in a community such as ours. When people are hungry, we feed them. When people are cold, we warm them. When fire takes everything a family owns, we give generously. When people are seriously ill, we come to their aid like one huge family.
But one thing that angers me is how cruel we are to small animals. In the past 12 months, we’ve found three abandoned animals near our home. Last November, we found Archie in the freezing cold and deep snow, dehydrated and starving, nearly frozen to death. How could someone in our loving community discard and abandon him in subzero temperatures to die? And this has happened two more times since then. This is why I am ashamed and angry. Please love your pets as if they were your children. If you can’t afford to care for children, don’t have any. If you can’t afford to care for pets, same thing: don’t have any.
If you decide to accept a pet into your home and family, be responsible. Make sure all your pets (even your inside pets) are spayed and neutered to avoid any unexpected or unwanted litters. Pets should wear a collar with an ID tag and phone number. Bring them to a local veterinarian for check-ups and vaccinations.
Our local communities give tens of thousands of dollars every year for ducks, pheasants and elk. And yet we continue to toss small animals out the car window when we decide we have too many, can’t afford them, or are just tired of them. Our animal shelters are full and short of money. Our animal shelters are full and short of money. (Just thought I’d say that again in case you didn’t get it the first time.) This is a problem all year round. Please, donate generously to our animal shelters. Adopt a pet — responsibly. Take them into your home and love them, or just say “no.” And in the midst of our holiday season filled with warmth, joy and love, remember Archie and the others.
Dorre Webster
Polson
