Who is to blame?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/08/2010 (5901 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In response to Dogs kept in filth, darkness (July 18). I think it is not only disgusting that these dogs were apparently abandoned by these “owners,” but by the neighbours as well.

I have just as much anger towards the neighbours, if not more, than I do towards the owners. In my opinion, the neighbours had an equal part in this neglect. If these supposedly concerned neighbours who made the statement “this is sickening” had any doubt that the couple were attentive to these dogs, or that they had “ongoing problems” with these people and the dogs, why would they not have alerted authorities? How could they sit around and not voice concern or advocate for these animals who have no voice?

I believe that in society, when we see something wrong with a situation, especially one which involves abuse or neglect towards either an individual or an animal which depend on another’s advocacy, we have a core responsibility to alert the proper authorities so we can rectify the situation. Something to think about; if one person robs a store and their friend watches, is the friend not considered an accomplice?

Krysten Csupak

Winnipeg

�ñº

Re: Why didn’t someone step up to help dogs? (July 30).

I am shocked and appalled that this “article” is considered news. At the very least it is an editorial about something that Lindor Reynolds knows nothing about and should have been placed appropriately. How dare she claim that everyone at Gull Lake played a role in this abuse of those dogs? Most in our community were shocked and horrified when the news broke, myself included. I am even more disgusted by the suggestions that our community would allow a child to be abused and let it go unreported. We are a small (mostly seasonal) community, and many tend to stay to themselves, socializing with close family and neighbours. We are not a community filled with snoopy, busybodies who lurk around, peeking in people’s windows. Does Lindor Reynolds know all of her community members? Does she check in the windows of her neighbours to make sure that no one is hoarding animals, abusing children or engaging in criminal activities? My guess is no.

LEILA DANCE

Winnipeg

�ñº

It’s so sad that it went on so long that the dogs got in this condition. Having a dog, I’ve turned into an animal lover and can’t imagine anyone doing harm to any animal or at the least someone not reporting such a thing. I wish we could make the public more aware of these happenings. I’m not an animal freak but a faithful fan of the Dog Whisperer and Dog Town. These shows are fantastic for ideas on controlling dog habits and stories on rescued animals. I watched a show recently on Global TV called Revealed. A real eye-opener about how we fall behind other countries’ practices. I support animal shelters in any way I can and when I can.

Barbara Bright

Winnipeg