Sir, I refer to your article, “Heartbreak as cat found dying” (November 11).
Although I fully sympathise with the cat and the cat’s owner, I do not see this as a newsworthy story. I am concerned that you are “demonising” rescue dogs and in this case, rescue greyhounds.
Some greyhounds have high prey drives where they cannot safely be round small furry animals, however, many greyhounds live happily with cats. This incident was a tragic accident and not one that deserved such negative coverage.
The vast majority of greyhounds are friendly, loving dogs who have been trained to chase small furry animals. Once their racing career is over, they are discarded by an industry which no longer has any use for them.
Usually they make the transition into home life easily, however, some may never be able to live with or tolerate small animals
Responsible greyhound owners know their dogs and will keep them muzzled and on lead outside if they are unsafe with small animals.
A greyhound who escaped from its owner’s home and attacked a cat was a simple tragic accident. My understanding is that this poor dog has now been returned to the rescue centre and “punished” for doing what it has been trained to do chase.
That could have been the story’s focus how we live in such a throwaway society, one that punishes rescue dogs for issues like this.
My concern with publishing a non-story, which wasn’t particularly in the public interest, is that this may put people off adopting a rescue greyhound. Surely responsible journalism is not about just jumping on the bandwagon on the back of the tragic events?
Rescue greyhounds deserve better than this.
Amanda Rutherford. Greyhound Action Scotland, Abbots View, Haddington.
Why all this expense?
Sir, Over some 40 years of involvement with public transport I have encountered various scenarios where the actions of local authority planners and roads engineers might be considered controversial, if not entirely ill-judged.
In a town as small as Cupar it beggars belief that any responsible body could countenance such a disruptive programme of works as we presently witness in the Crossgate.
Trying not to be totally negative, I could just be persuaded that altering the pavement radius will assist left-turning movements into the path of eastbound Bonnygate traffic.
However, the laying of setts at a painfully slow pace into an area destined for car parking appears, to put it mildly, totally inappropriate. I have yet to meet any resident who can understand this gross over-engineering.
There have been far reaching changes to bus routes which inhibit the infirm from venturing into the centre.
Even for those of sound body, the noise and disruption ensures that only the most needy or determined make any contribution to the turnover of the sorely-pressed shopkeepers
When works are eventually completed, some will ask what all the fuss was about. Others will ask why, when all “our betters” say there is no money for even the most basic services, was such expenditure ever contemplated in the first place?
Ken Cameron. 11 St Michaels Drive, Cupar.
A lamentable state of affairs
Sir, I could not agree more with Jim Crumley’s column on Tuesday on the subject of the Perth Academy Scots Pine.
Having had four generations of my family educated there I find it tragic that the arrogance of those responsible has brought about this lamentable state of affairs.
This sacrifice for a piece of plastic is really unbelievable. I seem to remember there being all-weather pitches in the academy grounds all along: we called them grass.
Lindsay Thomson. 24 Queens Road, Scone.
Law needs to be updated
Sir, There have been many upsetting cases of child abuse and neglect in the news recently. With this in mind, I was shocked to find out that the law on child neglect is 80 years old. Because it was written so long ago, it doesn’t include emotional neglect. This type of abuse, such as ongoing scapegoating or humiliation, is now known to leave children with mental scars that can last a lifetime.
I hope your readers will join me in supporting Action for Children’s campaign to update the law. By visiting www.actionforchildren.org.uk/changeneglectlaw they can find out more and ask their MP to join our campaign.
Thousands of people and organisations across the UK are already involved and together we’re increasing the pressure on government to make sure we have laws in place that really protect children.
Derek Hart. 40c Arthurstone Terrace, Dundee.
Advice fromthe top
Sir, Brian McConnachie, one of Scotland’s top QCs has raised an objection to plans to scrap corroboration in Scots Law.
Surely such advice from someone so experienced in Scots Law should be accepted without further question?
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.