Wednesday, March 21, 2001

First, let me thank all who have called to offer their sympathy for my family's loss of our pet cat. I received several calls since my letter was printed March 7.

I would however like to address the letter from Kelly Carter of Peachtree City printed in the March 14 issue. Ms. Carter misunderstood the issue. The issue was how it was mishandled by animal control as far as not returning my call after leaving a detailed message when their answering machine states they would return the call if the animal had been picked up.

Animal control has stated to me they did receive the message and they could not answer why I was not contacted.

I know why I wasn't contacted. Putting the cat to sleep resolved the issue with the neighbor.

I would have never known what happened if the other incident involving this same neighbor had not happened (if it did). It was misunderstood, too, that I felt the neighbor should have told me what happened. The neighbor could have come to me and asked that I do something and not contacted animal control to handle.

I moved here when Patches was 7 years old; he was not raised to be confined. Before moving to Fayette County, we lived in a neighborhood where neighbors were "neighbors" and we talked, kept each other's kids, feed each other's pets when we went on vacation and also went to each other with any complaints.

I've seen a lot in my life time, but I have never seen a cat on a leash. Not that it can't be done as Ms Carter has stated, but only if raised from a kitten that way. Patches was not.

As in Ms Lohmann's letter, children do model the behavior they see. I wonder if the children and grandchildren of these people know what little value they have for people's feelings. But then, they are adults that have to account for their actions; hopefully, one day they will.

Denise Barnett

Fayetteville

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