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Humane Society needs community's help to continue work

 
Published Feb. 18, 2015

Humane Society needs your help

I am a volunteer with the Humane Society of Pasco County. A few days before Christmas, a beautiful dog was left tied to our gate. He was very timid, and on closer inspection we discovered a horrible wound around this neck. He'd obviously been chained for a long time, and his skin had grown around the chain.

We took him in and fed him, gave him water and settled him into one of our runs. After eating, he became a different dog. He was so happy and joyous. We named him Dasher. After surgery, he is doing fantastic.

It amazed us how much this dog loved people, despite what someone had subjected him to. In this day of horror stories about animals, I look to the Tampa Bay Times to bring its readers stories of hope and joy. When I read a story like this, it restores my faith in humanity. I believe the way a society treats its most powerless members says everything about its soul.

We at the Humane Society have been through many changes in the past year. I'm afraid our reputation in the past has not been the best. We have been able to make many improvements on our property and would love to reach out to the public to come and see our beautiful place for cats and dogs needing help in Pasco. Our dedicated core of volunteers have been blessed to take part in so many great outcomes for our animals.

We are not a money-making operation, to be sure. Dasher's adoption fee won't come close to the cost of his treatment and care. We are a nonprofit organization and not in it for the money. Love from the cats and dogs is our payment. Hopefully some exposure can let Pasco citizens know about the good work we do. Like all shelters, we are in need of financial help. We like to stress that keeping your money local allows it to go so much further. We get no assistance from the national Humane Society. I would love to get the word out to Pasco residents about this beautiful, happy place. We need volunteers. All animal lovers are welcome. Please visit our website to learn more: humanesocietyofpasco.org.

Sharon Scheiblein, Hudson

Making a living along U.S. 19

I often have the occasion to walk and bicycle around, and on U.S. 19 in southern Pasco County I often see prostitutes between the Holiday Winn-Dixie and the Cotee River bridge — mainly in the area of the Travel Inn, just south of the bridge.

Presumably, the ladies are making a living at this. But, for the life of me, I don't see how anyone could drive on 19 and scope out hookers. Driving on that stretch of highway certainly takes all my concentration. I guess where there is a will there is a way.

I certainly don't envy the Patels having to hire a security guard at their hotel. His pay would eat up the daily revenue from a couple of rooms. Also it sounds like a perfectly awful job. Who would want to do it?

Pete Wilford, Holiday

Highway changes increase danger

I was always puzzled that if I wanted to go to the post office in Hudson, going south I had to pass the entrance then make a dangerous U-turn and cross three lanes of heavy traffic to get there. Now, as construction is slowly revealing, it's going to happen in more places to more people who live or work along the U.S. 19 corridor.

Previously, I could leave my subdivision by crossing three lanes then turning left onto 19 and proceeding to Spring Hill. Now it looks like I'm going to have to turn right, quickly cross three lanes of traffic in a short distance to make a U-turn to go north. In what highway engineering and design theory is this valid?

Safety of the motoring public should be the top priority, not an afterthought. More people making U-turns, many of whom are older and frightened to have to be on 19 anyway, adds another layer of stress. I expect deadly accident rates to rise as a result.

Poorly conceived "improvements" are just making matters worse on what is already the worst stretch of highway in the state.

John Wilkins, Hudson