• • •

PACCA and the SPCA have been the focus of numerous articles in the Daily News in the past several years for their abysmal treatment of animals, rudeness to people and unconscionable speed in killing animals brought to them.
Both agencies have had mismanagement, staff, and accountability problems for years, and instead of making changes, they keep getting worse.
In a news story last year, a beautiful Sheltie dog that ran out of its home and was captured by PACCA was euthanized within 10 minutes, even though the dog was clearly someone’s well-cared-for pet.
Tragically, stories like this are business as usual for PACCA and the SPCA. There are local animal rescue groups working hard to be "no-kill" shelters. Go online to www.petfinders.com and search for a rescue shelter in your area. Call them or visit them and get some information to be ready for a possible future emergency. Never, ever call the SPCA or PACCA for anything — they will kill the animal, no matter what they tell you.
In the case of this dog, instead of going back to PACCA, which already rudely indicated what they intended to do to this poor animal, I don’t understand why Kelly and her helping neighbors didn’t just chip in together and take the dog to a private vet. And then they should have called all the local news stations and gotten this story on the air. There would have been help on many levels and that dog might have had the happy ending it deserved instead of the heartless execution it got.
Arlene B. Steinberg
Bustleton-Somerton

I was horrified to read how Kelly Mulligan was treated at PACCA and SPCA. I too am a huge animal lover and longtime donor to those two shelters. It is so sad that the people that we think we can count on in a situation such as hers just turn their backs on our helpless four-legged friends, and that the stray dog was euthanized in less than the 48 hours that she was originally told.
I have adopted from PACCA in the past and would do so again just to save an animal from the deplorable conditions there.
I would urge other people to do the same! The shelter is overrun and understaffed. It is heart-wrenching to walk through there. If every veterinarian in the city of Philadelphia donated one hour of time per week, there would probably be a much higher adoption rate.
Not everyone has the time or money to adopt a dog that is sick or injured. And for those of you who do adopt or purchase an animal, it is a lifetime commitment. Would you give away your child if it had an accident in your house or chewed on your favorite album? I think not.
A little TLC goes a long way with animals. Try it some time! Anyone that would intentionally bring harm to an animal is capable of doing the same to a human! It would just take that one little thing to make that person snap.
It is amazing to me how lenient animal-cruelty penalties are. Maybe if the penalties were stiffer, there would be less abuse and neglect.
Lisa Naulty
Mayfair



SPCA official:

It won’t happen again

Kelly Mulligan’s letter about the abused dog found on her property saddened me greatly as an animal lover. It saddened me even more as a longtime employee of the Pennsylvania SPCA, where I have worked as the clinic manager and, now the director of outreach.
The color photograph that Ms. Mulligan sent to us at the Pennsylvania SPCA clearly shows that this dog was truly in need. It had been neglected and abused at the hands of a thoughtless owner and needed help. As evidenced by the photograph, the dog had mange and probably a host of other problems. Mange, when allowed to go untreated, can become a life-threatening situation.
Upon receipt of the letter from Ms. Mulligan describing the events that took place that holiday evening, we immediately reviewed the situation and took corrective action to ensure that this won’t happen again. A supervisor should have been consulted. This was an isolated incident and not reflective of the PSPCA in general.
Although there are times when there is not a veterinarian in the building, our director of animal health, Dr. Ravindra Murarka, is always on call for any emergency. Our veterinary hospital is open six days a week and we are hiring more full-time veterinarians to extend the hours in the future. The hospital saw more than 21,000 cases last year.
Under the leadership of our new CEO, Howard Nelson, we are making many changes in order to save more lives. In addition to expanding our clinical services, we are open for adoptions seven days a week. In 2006, the Pennsylvania SPCA as an organization achieved 10,700 adoptions and investigated more than 6,000 cruelty complaints.
We are expanding to eight full-time agents in the field to prevent abuse and neglect. We will establish an anti-cruelty hotline for the state that will be in operation 24 hours a day.
We need everyone’s help in our mission to "Rescue, Rehab, Rehome and Reduce."
Lisa Rodgers
The Pennsylvania SPCA



Please let elephants

be elephants

Regarding the recent letter Getting rid of Dumbo was a bad decision:
Am I the only person who was angered by this letter? It reflects a selfishness, ignorance and lack of respect for some of God’s most magnificent creatures.
The writer wanted the Philadelphia Zoo to keep the elephants because children want to see them?
Lest we forget about the painful, miserable lives of these creatures? Is it really a pleasure for our children to look at these sad-eyed, miserable animals who are suffering horribly?
It is known that zoos cannot provide appropriate care for wild animals. Zoo elephants are known to have painful arthritis, foot infections and depression. Considering that elephants walk about 30 miles a day in the wild, it doesn’t take much of a brain to understand that zoos cannot provide the proper environment for these animals.
Unfortunately, many ignorant people only think of themselves and never consider the happiness of these creatures, who are highly intelligent and sensitive.
Let elephants be elephants and at least send them to sanctuaries, where they can live in a more natural environment.
Zoos are nothing but prisons for these magnificent creatures and, in truth, they are suffering horribly.
Sumiko Jones
West Torresdale




We need Moore

of Michael’s sins

On July 4, I saw Michael Moore’s most recent film, SICKO. Now I understand better than ever why conservatives hate him. It’s simply about money, money that our so-called "managed healthcare" system saves by finding creative, insidious ways to deny people health insurance altogether, and/or money it puts in its pockets and the pockets of "bought" legislators by finding yet more creative, insidious ways to deny people health care!
If Moore’s numbers are correct, HMO-type "care" is, one way or another, responsible for 18,000 deaths a year. You or I may even know one of the 50 people who will die today because health insurers, enabled by politicians, literally hold the power of life and death in their greedy, manipulative hands.
There are some fascinating ironies regarding Michael Moore and his right-wing detractors. Consider, for example, that Moore’s critics are frequently pro-life panderers and their panderees, who together help sustain a political-big-business-founded and nourished HMO infrastructure that prioritizes profit ahead of life itself!
Moore, mocked, ridiculed and lied about by the holier-than-thou religious right via talk-show shills, Internet sites and biased "news" publications, at one time in his life studied for the priesthood.
So, for what sins do the Limbaughs, Hannitys, Drudges, Becks, et al, castigate Michael Moore? What evils has he perpetrated?
Because 30,000 people in his hometown lost their jobs to the greed of outsourcing, Moore made a film about it. Because school students used guns to murder their classmates, Moore made a film about that. Because an incompetent, disingenuous White House lied us into a war that needlessly cost more than 3,000 American lives, Moore also made a film about that.
And now, Michael Moore has made yet another film, this one about a country with the potential to do the greatest good in terms of its citizens’ health, but which instead, literally allows people to die so that HMO CEOs can earn millions of dollars a year!
Thus, to the four health insurance industry lobbyists for every member of Congress, to Rush Limbaugh, George W. Bush, the AMA and HMOs everywhere, I say, "Michael, go and sin some more (Moore)!
Arthur Gurmankin
Bustleton



He’s still waiting

for Murphy to lead

The problem with U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy is that he never uses his celebrity for the right reasons.
There is no doubt he is a media hound who basks in the camera. Unfortunately, he uses all those opportunities to take pot shots at the president instead of talking about real solutions in Iraq.
Murphy failed to use his bully pulpit to condemn the corrupt Jack Murtha threatening another congressman on the floor of the House. Murphy did not even condemn Congressman William Jefferson’s corruption until it was too late.
By speaking up, Murphy could have set a precedent and forced Jefferson out of Congress much sooner instead of letting that guy take even more of our tax dollars.
Our congressman is supposed to be a leader. I have yet to see any leadership from Patrick Murphy.
Joseph Turner
Levittown



Noisy motorcycles

serve a good purpose

Regarding Jack Miller’s recent letter, Stifle those motorcycles!, most people are exactly like Mr. Miller, and that’s the reason most motorcyclists need loud pipes. When riders are on the road, the only reason other drivers even know they are there is because of their loud pipes. If it wasn’t because of drivers who act like motorcycles are non-existent, this wouldn’t be an issue.
The comment about "these bikers seem to feel that only their rights count" is moronic. I am so tired of people and their stereotypical judgments. These bikers are lawyers, doctors, business owners and everyday human beings looking to enjoy a ride without their lives being put in danger because the general public is more concerned with their cell phone conversations or where they are going and how late they are going to be.
Today, Harleys and tattoos, and even piercings, are not just for those most consider to be low-class trash. I just don’t understand with everything going on in the world why people feel the need to judge other people based on their race, color of their skin or the fact that they enjoy a ride on a motorcycle. I was raised to believe that scum has no color or class level.
The point I’m trying to make is live and let live. Don’t judge based on what you think a person is like. Take the time to get to know people, then decide what kind of a person they are. I’ve lost too many loved ones because people like Mr. Miller dismissed them as not good enough to notice.
Finally, next time you are in your car or truck and hear a loud motorcycle near you, try and think whether you heard them or saw them first. Maybe then you will understand a little better why "those bikers" have loud pipes.
Kimberly Walsh-McCormick
Tacony

• • •

Loud pipes save lives! With their new cars designed to have soundproof interiors, drivers are probably jamming to their favorite music or chatting on the cell phone. They don’t even pull over for emergency vehicles with loud sirens, and they can’t hear motorcycles coming up beside them.
The noise keeps the driver aware that there is a motorcyclist around so they don’t change traffic lanes suddenly.
I myself will put loud pipes on our Harley Davidson to help save my life and my wife’s life. So instead of loud pipes, have the jammers turn down the radio, and chatters get off the phone. In many states it’s illegal to be on the cell phone and drive, anyway.
Alberto Quinteros
Bell’s Corner



Act your age,

avoid road rage

Road rage is on the rise, increasing 7 percent every year, according to auto analysts. It is common to have feelings of road rage, but there are ways to avoid these urges and avoid causing accidents. There is no better plan than to remain a safe driver at all times.
With more cars on the road, overcrowded roadways can lead to aggressive behavior. If you are being challenged on the road, keep a cool head. Also, give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination so you don’t have to drive aggressively to get there on time. After all, road rage can have deadly consequences. Statistics show that about 12,000 people have been affected, with more than 200 killed as a result of road rage since 1990.
Road rage can also have an effect on your wallet. Insurance companies can take punitive actions against road ragers — whether they caused an accident or just reacted to one. Because police today are better able to determine if an accident is attributable to road rage, insurance companies can use that finding to make a judgment about aggressive-driver’s coverage.
Keep a safe distance from other cars and don’t be goaded into angry behavior while behind the wheel. Here are more tips for avoiding road rage.
• Use your horn as a means of expressing warning, not anger.
• Don’t make eye contact with a driver you know is angry.
• Yield or change lanes. Even if the other driver is speeding or aggressing you, it is smartest to give way and not race with anyone.
• If you are followed after an encounter on the road, go immediately to the nearest police station or a least a public spot.
• Get the license plate numbers from the vehicles of aggressive drivers (discreetly). Report this information to the police as soon as you can.
Donna M. Picciocchi
Corporate Relations
Allstate Insurance Co., Northeast Region



Northwood’s friction

is no laughing matter

As I see it
By John Scanlon

With all the goofiness that has obscured the Northwood Civic Association’s mission as neighborhood protectors in recent weeks, the question that Northwood residents should be asking themselves is clear and blunt: "Do we want these buffoons acting on our behalf?"
These are sorry times in Northwood, ever since the responsibility of conducting the public’s business — tackling local issues that’ll transform the community into a place where you’d love to live — has been shelved in favor of an ongoing Three Stooges routine as the civic group’s executive board haphazardly tries to kick president Joe Menkevich to the curb, while Menkevich insists he’s not going anywhere.
This isn’t to say that Joe Menkevich deserves better. In a Lower Northeast neighborhood consumed by such worries as preservation and crime, his two-and-a-half-year stewardship of NCA has been relatively undistinguished, though he has become a prolific blogger and has discovered the Web site phillyblog.com as a wonderful forum to grouse about how the area’s going to hell and why everyone else is to blame.
It probably doesn’t bode well for Menkevich that seven other NCA board members are unified in their contempt for him — or, more precisely, in his oversight of the group and its operation.
His colleagues have been hard-pressed to find really nice things to say about him, slamming Menkevich as abrasive and profane, rude and flippant to people speaking at NCA meetings, and having the tendency to become a windbag who gets lost in ruminations about irrelevant aspects of local history as everyone else in the room gets this zombie look.
His detractors also consider it unhealthy that one board member who does like Menkevich — Len Williams — has some kind of Svengali hold on the embattled prez that has almost turned the guy into a demon seed.
But the executive board is just as culpable in this craziness. A couple weeks ago, when we last left this civic soap opera, they were scampering to rework the NCA bylaws to address a gaping and rather humorous omission in their rules of governance — how to impeach or dump an officer. And because of a great debate during a meeting last month about whether a testy Menkevich had verbally resigned — board members say they heard him, Menkevich claims they’re full of it — the leadership approved a resolution kicking the NCA’s vice president into Menkevich’s spot.
So, if you’re following this bit of vaudeville, the organization has two presidents. There’s Gina Panchella. And there’s Joe Menkevich, in effect dashing around the room with his gavel, insisting that he’s not giving it up.
What a calamity.
It’s immaterial whether you’re a Menkevich backer or a board booster. The Northwood debacle, plain and simple, illustrates in grand fashion how community service can get very messy when residents entrusted with an important responsibility — helping to chart a neighborhood’s growth and future — are ill-suited for the job or have an inflated and egotistic sense of their own importance while undertaking these duties.
Civic involvement is a noble calling, an area of volunteerism that demands commitment and long hours, intelligence and an awareness of issues, teamwork and a common goal.
There are civic associations around the Northeast that function quite capably. Rather than be splintered by average citizens on a power trip, the leaders of these groups understand their roles as community caretakers, understand the necessity of compromise, understand their responsibility to foster progress, not impede it.
Above all, their image in the community goes far to determine whether they command the credibility and respect to accomplish neighborhood improvement.
Which brings us to the Northwood Civic Association. With its fractured leadership, we have a contentious standoff, a relationship rendered ineffective by acrimony and the likelihood that Menkevich and the board would only undermine each other in the future.
Considering the recent shenanigans, a resident wouldn’t be faulted for lacking faith in either Menkevich or the executive board to deliver the leadership that Northwood needs.
That will come only by dismantling the board and instituting a new round of elections, with bylaws that clearly define codes of conduct.
The NCA has become a joke. Problem is, it’s nothing to laugh about. ••
John Scanlon is editor of the Northeast Times.

Share your opinion by e-mail

Click here to return to this week's editorial . . .