A measure of the man: His word was his bond

A measure of the man: His word was his bond
EDITOR:
Youngstown has just experienced a devastating loss with the death of one of its towering figures, Mr. D.D. Davis. Even those who might never have met Mr. Davis, have no doubt benefitted from his extraordinary generosity. Mill Creek Park, the YMCA, the Butler Institute of American Art, the Gideons, countless churches of all denominations, and numerous civic organizations have seen the depth of his kindness, an ever-willing heart and enormous talents as a builder.
His success in business is indeed legendary, based primarily on the universal respect which he garnered from clients and colleagues all over the world. Those of us fortunate enough to have known him know that his handshake was as binding as any contract and that his word was far better than gold. He showed us by example that it is possible to live our lives and to indeed be successful through honesty, integrity, and by following the script laid out in the Good Book.
We are indeed left with a tremendous void with the passing of D.D. Davis. But, through his good works and model life, he will be with us always.
LOUIS ZONA
Youngstown
X The writer is director of the Butler Institute of American Art.
Listen here, young man
EDITOR:
I agree with Butch Baker that outdoor concerts are great fun. However, I wish the music were not so amplified as to be clearly audible at my house, which is some two miles from the Bull & amp; Bear Tavern.
It may be that Mr. Baker will need hearing aids before I do.
ELIZABETH WRONA
Youngstown
Flip side of the miracleof birth: the tragedy of animal overpopulation
EDITOR:
There are many people in this area with the misconception that Angels for Animals is a "no kill" shelter. In my opinion, there is no such thing. There simply can't be a facility quickly filling up with unwanted, unadoptable dogs and cats, thereby becoming a pet warehouse unable to help anyone with their pet problems. In fact, Angels for Animals humanely euthanizes about 18 percent of the dogs and cats that pass through their facility. Why? Because some are sick with incurable diseases, some are feral (wild) and therefore poor candidates for adoption, some are aggressive (i.e. biters) and pose an injury risk and liability, and some require more medical/surgical attention than is economically feasible. Yet some people think we should save them all.
Why do we have this overpopulation problem with a million dogs and cats being put to sleep each month in this country? Because the bucket is overflowing. Nevertheless, I hear people tell me every day that they "want to let their dog/cat have a litter," or "want their children to see the miracle of birth." or "want to sell puppies because their dog is AKC registered." If you want your children to see the miracle of birth you should also take them to the pound to see the tragedy of overpopulation.
Many people also suffer from the misconception that if we spay and neuter all the pets, eventually there won't be any left. Even veterinarians are consciously/subconsciously worried that if they stress spaying and neutering too much they will put themselves out of business. False logic. Let's get to zero population growth first and then re-evaluate our agendas. Even our county pound is sending unspayed and unneutered dogs back out into the community re-establishing the likelihood of more unwanted pregnancies. I would like to see all dog pounds become unnecessary!
What can you do to help? Spay and neuter your pets and convince others to do the same. Don't buy puppies that originate in other states from pet stores (Ohio has enough of its own, thank you). Volunteer to help out at local humane organizations. We are the problem. We can also be the solution.
DONALD K. ALLEN, MS, DVM
Youngstown
X The writer is a trustee of Angels for Animals.