Letters: Taking care of our animals

Re “Progress paved by prize money,” Column One, Jan. 11

Although I applaud Gary Michelson’s efforts to curb the unwanted pet population through a sterilization drug that has yet to be invented, I couldn’t help but wonder if that money would be better spent in fighting for legislation to end animal testing and the torture of dogs in medical schools and by pharmaceutical companies.

Though both these scenarios are truly unsettling, it is more humane for an animal to be euthanized at a local shelter than to be slowly mutilated over 13 weeks with no pain relief for science’s sake, as described in the article. This is just one of the untold horrors that go on at facilities and schools across the country.

If medical students really need to learn about pain thresholds in this manner, perhaps they should perform this procedure on one another.

Jenn Ochoa

Los Alamitos

Oh my gosh, as Huell Howser would say. My hat goes off to Michelson.

How does one stop the backyard breeders? How does one stop the “puppy mills”? How does one stop the thousands of euthanasias done each year at taxpayer expense? The cruelty goes on because there are too many animals and not enough responsible pet owners.

Hopefully Michelson’s financial incentive to find a drug for sterilizing dogs and cats will result in an end to this abominable situation. Thank you, Dr. Michelson.

Carol Conte

Westlake Village

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