September 22, 2021 336 PM
Dear Editor,
I would like to thank the Rev. Barry for his thoughts on the events in Texas (in the September 9 issue) and the “Right On” from Marjie (in the September 16 issue.) I myself agree with these brave citizens who let their thinking show the rest of us how we as a human race should treat our people. Let us not fall or falter in our quest for human rights.
Also let me thank the courage of The Big Bend Sentinel for giving “We the People” a platform for “Freedom of the Press.”
Ronnie Adams
Alpine
—
Dear Editor,
Although many locals are unaware, for the past several years there has been a quiet but incredible northward migration of animals from the Big Bend region. Literally thousands of dogs and cats have had a second chance to live, because of the continued efforts of a handful of people: Heather Hall (Terlingua), Marilyn McGhee (Alpine), Nicole Bennett (Ft. Stockton) and DJ Hensley (Marathon) have worked heroically to pull dogs and cats from their scheduled dates for euthanasia and send them to better places like Oregon, Wisconsin and Canada.
If only this were the happy ending. The sad truth is that these women cannot keep it up indefinitely. Their energy and money is limited. They all have other jobs: Marilyn works for Sul Ross, Heather is a public defender, DJ cleans houses. Although they have dedicated the past few years to saving so many unwanted, neglected and often mistreated animals, they need help.
Here are three ways you can help them give the dogs and cats a chance to live:
1. Consider fostering to save a life. Too many local dogs and cats are still being euthanized because of a lack of foster homes. Fostering buys time to arrange for a transport out. Usually it’s only for a couple or three weeks. And it’s incredibly gratifying; many of these former pets have never before known kindness. They respond and blossom.
2. Donate some money if you can. These women saviors have continual costs of vet charges, transport fees, medications and food. They obviously have no spare time for fundraising.
3. And above all, please help them by becoming aware of some important truths:
In many areas, including ours, an animal shelter isn’t so much a shelter as it is a place to euthanize your pet. Know this if you plan to drop off the family dog there or if you can’t manage to get around to sterilizing your pet. What kind of society would routinely kill puppies and kittens? Ours does. Because there are too many.
Please: SPAY AND NEUTER your animals so that other people don’t have to work so hard to fix the problem you create.
Heather Hall – [email protected]
Nicole Bennett – [email protected]
Marilyn McGhee – [email protected]
DJ Hensley – 432-386-4593
Mary Baxter
Marfa
