No way to treat a friend

To the Editors,

I am writing this letter as a reminder of an ongoing crisis in La Plata County. This winter I decided to do something worthwhile with my spare time, so I volunteered to help out one day a week at the La Plata County Animal Shelter. During the past few months I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people as well as a lot of wonderful, friendly, loving animals. Some of those dogs and cats have found new homes, many are still patiently waiting, and more than a few have been “put to sleep.” The staff and volunteers have done their very best and do a great job of providing love and comfort to the animals that wind up in their care, for however short or long their stay. They try hard to keep them as long as possible.

But there is an unending deluge of unwanted and abandoned animals. Some arrive wearing collars and knowing their manners and obedience commands, yet no one comes looking for them. Most are healthy, people-oriented and affectionate. However, as more come in, difficult choices must be made to make space. As a result, there is a shocking and disgusting number of animals put to death in La Plata County every month. This is no way to treat our “best friends.” C’mon Durango, Bayfield and especially Ignacio, where far too many of these dogs are coming from. We should be ashamed; we can do better! If you own pets, please, please, spay or neuter them.

The local vets offer specials, there are even low-income programs available.

And if you have room in your life for one more, spend a little time at the shelter, get to know some of the great dogs and cats there. Perhaps your new best buddy is waiting for you!

– Sincerely, Robin Fritch,

Durango, via-e-mail

“In Honor of the Children”

To all the people of the world:

Open your eyes that you may see/ Open your ears that you may hear/Open your heart that you may feel/Open your mind that you may heal

Open your hands that you may give/ And learn to receive, to truly live/ To honor the life within one and all/ When we join hands, we’ll never fall

Heal our hearts, heal our minds/Heal the Earth and We may find/ Children playing everywhere/ Clean land food water and clean air

Walk with Children, hold their hands/ They voice the need to heal the lands/ The time has come, the time is now/ Please let’s join hands and take a vow to...

Care for our bodies, care for the Earth/ Care for all life, for all has worth/ May love compassion hope and truth/ Be restored to the eyes of all our youth

The time has come, the time is now/ To make a change, to take a vow/ To walk our talk, to plant a seed/To heal the Earth there is a great need to...

Change our ways, to set new goals/To stretch our wings, to lift our souls/To speak our truth, speak from the heart/ Reach out our hands, and do our parts to...

Plant a garden, gather seeds/Plant a thought, plant a tree/ Fly with Eagles, run with Wolves/ Play with the children, and Teach only Love

Sisters and Brothers, let’s Please join hands/ Walk with the Children, and Honor the Lands/ The time has Come, the Time is Now/ Please let’s join hands and take a vow to...

Open our eyes, that we may see/ Open our ears, that we may hear/ Open our hearts, that we may feel/ Open our minds, that we may heal

The Earth may heal/ That we may heal/ That all may heal

– Darsi Olson, Durango