Shocked by cruelty

January 12, 2005

Dear Sir,

I?ll say a special prayer tonight for the depraved person who perpetrated that horrible act of animal cruelty by tossing the defenceless dog anchored to concrete blocks over the cliff near Admiralty House Park: ?Please, god, let this horrible and poor excuse for a human being be caught and brought to some kind of justice.? Was it the compassionate and well-known English veterinarian and author James Herriot who once said: ?You can judge a society of how it takes care of it?s animals?? If we let this monster, if apprehended, go free with a light sentence, what will it say about us?

Beyond this terrible act of animal cruelty, we live in Bermuda on a daily basis driving by yards where dogs are kept day after day tied, chained or caged with little human contact except (hopefully) for the bowls of food and water shoved at them. Long days with no exercise; days spent hugging the side of a building and gazing stupefied into space because boredom, along with the birds that land to eat the remains for the dry kibble, are the only things they know ? is that a ?life?? Some of these animals are sheltered in sky kennels, I guess because they are inexpensive, with blue tarps draped over them for protection from the rain. This must be ?cosy? in the summer, especially on a blazing summer day.

Our pets always have been a part of our family ? loved, cared for and encouraged to be their very best by the same interest that motivated us to acquire them in the first place. In an ideal world, all pet owners would be of similar mind.

I would like to see the picture of the criminal who motivated my writing this letter boldly splashed across the front page of the . Maybe by putting a face to this horror there can be some justice for all mistreated animals.

I?ll chooses to withhold my name only for fear that the person who did this terrible thing to an animal is very capable of doing the same thing to a human being.

M. DUBOIS

Pembroke

A message to pet owners

January 12, 2006

Dear Sir,

In light of the recent deliberate dog drowning, the SPCA wants to remind the public of the choices that we all have regarding animals.

As animal owners, it is our responsibility to ensure that the needs of our animals are being met and this includes a life free of neglect, abuse and pain.

As responsible citizens, it is the obligation of each of us to ensure that authorities are made aware of any mistreatment of animals. This can be done anonymously by calling the SPCA at 236-7333, Crimestoppers at 1-800-623-8477 or the Police Animal Protection Officer at 515-0390.

While it was upsetting, no doubt, for the public to see the photo on the front page of yesterday?s , there is value in the community being made aware of what is happening. Perhaps it will motivate others to work with the SPCA, the Police Animal Protection Officer and the Department of the Environment to eradicate the unacceptable and sometimes brutal treatment of animals on this island.

The SPCA is currently considering ways to further prevent the barbaric elimination of unwanted animals by owners by encouraging these owners to anonymously drop off their animals to us, no questions asked. We would rather be in the position of dealing with an unwanted animal ourselves, with compassion, than to have any animal unmercifully killed.

The SPCA is dedicated to preventing cruelty and to prosecute such cases wherever possible. There are currently two upcoming cruelty cases and we are optimistic that justice will prevail.

Mirror the PLP? No way!

January 18, 2006

Dear Sir,

PLP spokesman Scott Simmons has said the change in UBP leadership had been caused by the success of his party. ?They have caused the UBP to attempt to change into a mirror image of the PLP ? in personalities and policies.?

I have to admit that the words of PLP spokesmen Simmons/Roban, AKA the ?Talking Heads?, are hard to ignore. Not because they are of major import, but rather they offer a major insight to the drivel and nonsense that comes from the empty vessel that is known as the PLP.

The PLP, in the same way as the British Labour Party, are in fact a wolf in sheep?s clothing. They make themselves look, smell, taste, and walk like the UBP. You only have to listen to the moans and groans of the grass roots Socialists in the party to know how they dislike this outward appearance and sham.

In 1998 the PLP did not win the election, the UBP lost it. In 2003 the PLP did not win the election, they lied their way back in, and low and behold they sacked their leader once they had duped the electorate and the results were in.

The British Labour Party promised no increased income taxes, and yet every other tax or levy has been increased. In the UK a litre of petrol is approximately 95p of which 71p is tax!

The PLP has just been exposed for ripping us off for $211 million in taxes that we did not need to pay. And believe it or not we are now told that this is good fiscal management. And let us not forget that we have just, and we all suspected this, paid $50 million more for a school that was only supposed to cost us $65 million in the first place, and it is almost three years late. I would love to get into the government accounts and truly find out where and to whom this money has gone. The fiscal mismanagement is mind blowing.

The absolute last thing the UBP would want to do is be a mirror image of the PLP, so here is a novel suggestion. Let us vote for the UBP at the next election, and then at least we will get the true article with the added bonuses of class, breeding, decency, and fiscal competency.

Wait and see

January 5, 2006

Dear Sir,

I have yet to hear or read that the National Liberal Party has been disbanded so I don?t know where to fit the proposed new party as third or fourth. They all need people who are always carrying the party banner ad nauseam, apart from the politicians and officers so we shall see what?s what.

Service comes first

January 18, 2006

Dear Sir,

I hope that you will allow me a little room to express my gratitude to the Bank of Bermuda. For many years I had banked with the Bank of Butterfield, and after yet another discourteous customer service experience, I decided to switch to the Bank of Bermuda.

I haven?t looked back since. Time after time, no matter what my inquiry or request, I am always greeted with a courteous manner, and a helpful attitude.

Most recently, I experienced some trouble with an online purchase with my credit card. I would like to personally thank Ms Thomas in Card Services, not only for her friendly manner and disposition, but also for her helpful advice and the speediness with which she sorted out the mess.

Although I am disappointed that the Bank of Bermuda is slowly losing their ?Bermudian flavour? I would happily trade it in for a bank with the great customer service they have displayed time and time again.