Animals

I am aware that I talk and write probably too much about animals. It is just that they are such a huge part of my life. Animals have been my teachers, my best friends, my playmates, sometimes my reason to get up another day. It's not that I don't love and value humans - I do, but, to me, it's all tied together. I can't quote Mother Teresa, but in essence she said that any adult human who has not loved an animal has an incomplete soul. That's pretty powerful, and I believe it. In fact, I find I cannot get close to any person who does not like animals.

FRANKFORT ? Ghosts and goblins of all ages can join the fun at the Salato Wildlife Education Center's Halloween Walk with the Animals in Frankfort from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 31. Admission to this kid-safe, trick-or-treat event is $5 per person. The event is most appropriate for kids under the age of 11 and their parents. Little trick-or-treaters are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes. The Salato Center staff will trick or treat you with lots of exciting activities. The fun begins at the door when kids get their Halloween activity book and animal passports.

An animal charity and a group of local volunteers are working this weekend to spruce up the Clark County Animal Shelter. Brighter Days for Shelters and about eight local students involved in Future Farmers of America are planning to repaint the shelter starting at about 9 a.m. today. Lowe's has donated about $250 of painting supplies, and Domino's pizza is providing food. "We're trying to give the shelter a little bit of a facelift," said Tonya Park, a member of Brighter Days. "We are just trying to help the environment out there a little bit, make it look a little nicer and also bring awareness to our shelter - they have lots of adoptable cats and dogs," she said.

Dear Editor, What does it take for the people of Kentucky to wake up and see what is happening in our society when we say nothing or do anything. We are letting our lawmakers put more value on an animal's life than that of a human life - a family member or your next door neighbor residing in an under-staffed nursing home. One nursing aide to 24 to 30 patients is not uncommon in any of our local nursing homes, but you had better not be found being mean to that dog or cat, because you could be committing a class D felony if you are caught, according to SB-58.

The Clark County Fiscal Court is participating in a new program that could reduce overcrowding and save hundreds of animals from being euthanized at the Clark County Animal Shelter.Magistrates on Wednesday directed County Judge-Executive Henry Branham to enter an emergency order for Clark County to work with Brighter Days for Shelters, a volunteer agency that places animals from overpopulated shelters into underpopulated shelters. Magistrates also indicated that the court would approve formal changes to the county's adoption policy to continue working with the program indefinitely.

I would like to tell you about the joys and woes of animal rescuers in general but also include those who foster care these animals. The story starts at the rescuer's headquarters as the number of empty beds are counted and the number of vacancies available with foster care homes is compiled. This is a joyful activity because it means that the animals that used those beds earlier have found "forever" homes. The rescuer then goes to the public animal shelter and selects the specific number of animals needed.

LIBERTY - A local police officer discovered Wednesday that several animals were abandoned in a pet store in Liberty Square shopping center on Wallace Wilkinson Boulevard. Officer Richard Francioni was called to check out an animal abuse complaint at Liberty Pet Foods, 121 Liberty Square, and found the pet store closed and learned the operator had moved. He said several dogs and cats found in the store were turned over to Ricky Luttrell, Casey County animal control officer.

Even though Emily Crout has a lot of American Girl dolls and Bryer horses, she would still probably have been able to come up with a list of toys to add to her collection. Instead, the fifth-grader at Rosenwald Elementary School put just one thing on her birthday wish list: dog and cat food to take to the humane society. "I don't really need anything, but I know someone who does," she said, referring to residents of the animal shelter. At her birthday party, a pile of animal food, litter and cleaning supplies was sitting next to the table with her birthday cake.

Dear Editor, I would like to address the letter by Lisa Allen Bocook of Liberty titled "Good neighbors don't kill dogs" dated Sunday, April 8. In this letter, Ms. Bocook states that, "Because the day was so beautiful, they decided to allow their two beloved chocolate Labradors to run freely on the farm. " However apparently the "beloved chocolate Labradors" managed to run freely off of her parents' farm. Granted, this is something that happens regularly, and most of the time nothing bad comes from it. On this occasion, however, it seems the labs were shot and killed by someone Ms. Bocook believes to be a neighbor.

Dear Editor: One female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 dogs over a period of six years. One female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats over a period of seven years. It goes without saying that the un-neutered males and females are jointly responsible for these outrageous figures. There are simply not enough homes for all these animals. They are all too often exposed to a life of misery, abuse, and pain, then sentenced to death merely for the crime of being born.