b'Letters from our readersThe No-Kill Movement: Letsand the cost associated with their edu-Finish What We Startedcation. Until low cost, or better yet noIn response to Ms. Dina Athanassiecost, spay/neuter becomes readily (guest columnist) issue 51, The Newavailable, sadly, I see nothing changing. Barker, I want to thank her for herOur government officials need to step commitment to animal welfare andup and help with this problem. trying to make the lives of our animalsGovernment finds a way to provide a better one.I have no issue with herfree meals for school students, free cell comments and agree with everythingphones, free laptops free, free, free is all she mentioned in her piece. With thatyou hear. However, when it comes to said, I believe the advocates of the no- addressing anything having to do with kill movement are not addressing aanimal welfare, there is no free.key point to saving more animals. WeDan Hester,would all agree, if you want to saveFormer Vice Mayor, more animal lives, you must start byCity of Seminole, Florida reducing the number of animals entering thePrice $5.99 Issue 51 Cover to Cover shelter. The 90% liveThe Art of Dog TM Reading release rate is just aI am in love with this number, a benchmark,issue. From Fred and which many shelters areEthel Playing Bingo on attempting to achieve.the cover to the ads, Let me put thiswhich are exceptional. 90% benchmark in per- The artists profile on spective. If a shelter inCarol Luz was fun and Anywhere, USA takes inso informative. The last 200 cats and dogs, andpage, Dog People, was a 90% are then releasedfabulous read. This was alive, this shelter savedIssue 51, cover art of Fred anda remarkable issue. 180 animals. If a shelterEthel playing BINGOChris Baer in Nowhere, USA takesby artist Carol Luz. Sarasota, Florida in 500 cats and dogs, and 50% are released alive, which shelter saved more lives?Simple mathThe Ad Featuring A Prong Collar says Nowhere, USA saved more lives.As a veterinarian, I cringe whenever I The only thing these two shelters havesee a prong collar on a dog. I do not in common is a number, a percentage,believe people understand the many that realistically could be excellent forreasons why it is an inappropriate both shelters if we understood the dif- method of restraint. There are very ferent dynamics between the two.many vulnerable tissues in that location I believe the no-kill movement isaround the esophagus and trachea onto well intended, but not a viable solutionwhich the prong collar can inflict real to saving animals lives. The animaldamage and pain. Furthermore, train-welfare community cannot adopt itsing by pain will only make the animal way out of the problem.If we are evermore fearful and unable to trust you. going to get the over-pet-populationAversive training methods modify under control, it must start with anbehavior by inflicting pain. All animals aggressive, long-term commitment tocan be taught to work with positive spay/neuter.reinforcement. There is never a time or Ms. Athanassie touched on someplace to use a prong or choke collar. of the problem, when she addressedBetsy Coville MS, DVM, CVA, CVC the consolidation of veterinary clinicsVeterinary Forensic Investigations by private equity, the shortage of vetsTampa, Florida12THE NEW BARKERwww.TheNewBarker.com'