Letters to the Editor

Download problem
Congratulations on a fabulous magazine. I have read one issue and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I have downloaded all the issues for reading when time permits, however, I couldn't get issue five to download. Are you able to help with this?

Once again thanks for a great read! - Nick

Problem now fixed - Ed

Judges and cruelty
In New Zealand we have had many cases of cruelty to dogs come to court, as most countries have had, an the most worrying thing I find is that when the maximum penalty for such acts of cruelty or neglect is a $25,000 fine, the judges in this country have proved themselves both uncaring and ineffectual by imposing fines of $200, $600, and a 'huge' one of $800.

Are these judges not showing to the whole country that they couldn't care less and that the SPCA is wasting its time by bothering to prosecute such mindless people?

Perhaps these judges think that people who are cruel or neglectful are necessarily of very limited education or in lower socio-economic circumstances and such a small fine would be mountainous to them - but that is not always the case.

Is there any way we can give the SPCA more say in the penalties that these undesirable owners earn for themselves? Could the minimum penalty be larger? After all, a judge does have the authority to impose smaller than minimum penalties under special circumstances. What can be done? - Mavis, Nelson

I am afraid, not much at present but keep watching this space for improvements. - Ed

Kiwi apathy
I read in a local paper recently of a situation that to me proved the apathy of New Zealand people. The incident happened at a local Saturday market and was observed by many people who simply ignored it and let it continue.

A woman was observed with a pup on a lead - it had obviously had not much lead training or was very tired from walking around the market.

The pup did not want to walk and couldn't keep up with her, so she was keeping it ahead of her by lifting it in the air with the lead at the same time as she lifted it with her foot and flicked it a few feet ahead.

I say 'flicked' rather than 'kicked', as she was not putting any large force in her kick, but to observe a pup in this situation one realises immediately what type of life this pup is going to have, if it lives long enough to reach adulthood.

There are many questions raised when one sees such incidents, one of them of course "what moron gave that person a pup to look after?"

However, the trouble is that in reality the pup probably was given away after someone's unspayed bitch had pups to who knows what dog, probably both unregistered.

The sad realisation is that nobody came to the rescue of the pup. It may not be alive even now. - Betty, Ngaruawahia

I am afraid we are not a nation known for our intervention in such matters - we are too good at 'minding our own business' and thereby letting all sorts of unacceptable behaviour go unpunished and even undetected. I really hope the day will come when anyone observing such behaviour would talk to the person concerned, offer some helpful advice and tell them that they are out of line. - Ed

Dogaid working to help doomed dogs
Greyhound Action International in Australia in conjunction with Dogaid Australia will be having a protest to ban export of greyhounds to South Korea from Australia on Monday September 9, 12-1.30pm in Melbourne.

The group hopes to raise awareness of the fate that lies ahead of greyhounds after their racing career is over with respect to the dogmeat industry, and also to raise awareness of what cruelty occurs to dogs and cats in South Korea. Horrific fates await them in many Asian countries.

Dogaid Australia helps not only dogs in Asian countries, but also dogs in danger of being sent to Asian countries for food, dogs in danger of death for no good cause, and in short, dogs worldwide that are likely to come to some harm without good cause.

The group members will be handing out flyers and hope that people will write to Officials. - Laura Teresa, President, Dogaid Australia