Letters

Gettin’ the straight poop

To the editor:

I grew up in Mobile and moved to Portland, OR about 5 years ago. Portland has “dog poop scoop” laws as well as leash laws, and both are very effective. It’s rare that a dog owner in this city is so inconsiderate as to not clean up after their pet(s).

The city, along with apartment building owners, grocery stores, etc., have installed free doggie bag dispensers on outside walls of the buildings, and the city has provided an abundance of trash receptacles on the sidewalks to help pet owners comply with the “scoop” laws.

Dogs do not run loose in this city, either. There are “dog friendly” parks where dog owners can let their dogs run free and play with other dogs, supervised of course, and in these parks, people scoop up their dogs’ poop so that others can also enjoy the parks. Even the homeless in this city who own dogs keep their dogs on a leash and clean up after them.

The laws are necessary because, unfortunately, there are some people who lack community pride and consideration for others. I don’t own a dog, although I am a dog lover, but I do have a big Maine Coon cat that I have trained to walk on a leash. There would be fewer dogs and cats getting run over by cars, injured in dog or cat fights, or becoming a nuisance to their neighbors if their owners were more responsible.

Cats should be neutered and not allowed to roam free – there are laws in Portland which address this issue also. As I recall, there is a huge population of feral cats in Mobile, which I find appalling and very sad. As for barking dogs, there are a number of doggie schools around the city that will train a dog not to bark excessively – some of these schools are at pet stores and are free or charge a nominal fee. If laws are put into place in Mobile to make pet owners mindful of responsible pet ownership, then you will have a much happier and healthier city.

Maxine Guerry

Assistant to John DiLorenzo, Jr.

Portland, OR

One happy mule

Mr. Phillips:

Just a note to thank you for your kind and generous words in your review of our establishment.? We have seen a marked upturn in business since its being published.? Again, thanks so much.

Rick Barfield

The Blind Mule

Angry leprechaun no more

To the editor:

I am contacting you regarding a photo that appeared in Lagniappe on March 25, 2008. I am the “leprechaun” that does not appear “too gleeful” in the photo taken during the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and I would like to attempt to make things right! The fact I am not smiling is obvious at the moment the picture was taken, however it is absolutely not an accurate description of my disposition on March 14, 2008.

I was visiting a lifelong friend for the first time in the beautiful city of Mobile for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend and was honored by the fact he wanted me to drive his car in the parade. At the time the picture was shot I had spotted two handicapped children in the crowd and saw the concern on their faces because they had not been able to get any beads that were being thrown.

Shortly after I noticed their plight, I was happy to see a member of the Friendly Sons approach them and hand them some beads, and that made their day. I do recall seeing Mr. Trimmier taking pictures and I do apologize for not paying attention, but I think my depiction as not friendly is an unfair conclusion.

The apologies I do want to make are to The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and my host for the weekend, Mr. Ken Doyle and his family, for any embarrassment I may have caused them for my apparent demeanor in the photo. The trip I took to your beautiful city in March and all the wonderful people I met, has enticed me to make plans to relocate from Boston, and I hope to become a member of the Friendly Sons during the next year and a regular reader of Lagniappe.

I would also apologize to Mr. Trimmier for not paying attention to what he was trying to accomplish at the time he took the photo, it was not intentional.

Finally, I am enclosing a picture that was taken shortly before the one in question, and I think you will see that I was having a great time, as was the case during my entire trip. I look forward with great excitement to my planned move to Mobile and becoming a resident of southern Alabama, and meeting more wonderful people that live in the area.

Paul Malachy O’Connor

Milton, Mass.

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