Letters – Citizen concerned about dumped animals

Dear Editor:
Some months ago my friend and I had a sign made to help inform the citizens of Caldwell County about our local Lockhart Animal Shelter. There was a particular area where animals were being “dumped.”
The sign stated, “Dumping a Dog or Cat is illegal,” with a silhouette of a dog and a cat. It provided the name, address and phone number of the Lockhart

Animal Shelter where animals can be given a chance. A land owner gave permission to hang the sign on his fence in an area where “dumping” was rampant.
The sign has been on display several months and seemed to be helping the cause. Recently, the sign disappeared. How disappointing that someone would take a sign that is of no real monetary value, but is of great value to the safety of the community and innocent animals.
It is sad that many people think an animal has a better chance of survival if they are “dumped.” Reality is that “dumping” creates a health and safety hazard (rabies, bites) for both the animals and people in the community.
The frightened animal will most likely fall victim to one or more of the following: be hit by a car, killed by a predator, die of starvation or weather exposure, or get shot. This kind of suffering is so unnecessary when we have a local animal shelter that works hard to care for the animals brought in and find good homes for them. The shelter provides a humane alternative to the cruel and illegal practice of “dumping.”
Hopefully, the individual who took our sign will place it in a location where it will still deliver this important message:
“The purity of a person”s heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals.”
Lesta Neeley Maijala
Delhi