Local physicians not to blame for EOPO woes

Local physicians not to blame for EOPO woes
EDITOR:
I feel compelled to comment on your March 24 article on the closing of Eastern Ohio Physicians' Organization. Comments attributed to Ron Fasano, president of Eastern Ohio Physicians' Organization, could be misleadingly interpreted as though the business and banking community have lost confidence in local physicians.
Neither of these factors is responsible for the $3.5 million of liabilities against $414,000 of assets that the Eastern Ohio Physicians' Organization had at the time of bankruptcy filing.
Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to sit as a board member of the Lake to River Healthcare Coalition. The business community and banking community have always demonstrated willingness to deal fairly with physicians.
The demise of the Eastern Ohio Physicians' Organization must remain the responsibility of the officers and board, who were entrusted with the obligation to make prudent business decisions that would effect both the physician community and the community at large. The $35 million of losses suffered by EOPO have not yet been explained in detail to shareholders of the organization.
THOMAS N. DETESCO, M.D.
Boardman
Cruelty to animals demands stricter rules
EDITOR:
Cases of cruelty to animals -- sometimes too horrifying to believe -- multiply by 20 percent each year. Attack dogs are commonly used in place of guns to protect stashes of drugs. Brutal cases of animal attacks on humans (so trained by their keepers) are becoming common news items. Yet the muddle-headed answer that some groups are offering is "build more shelters" and "place more animals." Pressure is being brought on legislators to pass laws establishing no-kill policies for shelters and pounds. Perhaps even more insane, societies nationwide are attempting to establish feral cat colonies in established communities.
Let's face it. Shelters and pounds too often serve the selfish interests of people who get animals without accepting the overwhelming responsibilities of animal ownership. Let's be logical and establish some realistic priorities that in the long run will solve, rather than compound, the problem.
Adoption of a companion animal must be made very difficult.
Neutering of a companion animal must be required.
Any person who neglects or abuses an animal must be denied further possession of any animal.
Attack training of dogs must be a prosecutable offense and anyone who has trained or had a dog trained to attack who kills a person must be liable to prosecution for manslaughter.
Breeding for good temperament, not appearance, must become the aim of all professional breeding.
Rigid licensing must be established for all breeders and pet stores.
Restraint must be required for all companion animals and living indoors must be a condition of the keeping of a companion animal.
To provide a home for every dog in the Unites States, every individual would have to have nine dogs (for a family of four, that would mean 36 dogs). To provide a home for every cat in the United States, every individual would have to have 36 cats (for a family of four, that would mean 144 cats). Remember those figures the next time a person tells you: "All we need are more shelters and more adoptions!"
JEAN M. KELTY
Youngstown
X The writer is president of Animal Charity.