To the Editor:
I am writing in response to Pam O’Donnell’s March 27 letter to the editor in regard to feeding squirrels in local parks. I am not a squirrel expert, but I do know that they are not harmful critters, as some people make them out to be. They are sweet and easily domesticated animals. They would harm no one unless they felt threatened, the same as any other animal or human being. I feed squirrels in my backyard, I am proud to say. In fact my dog loves to watch them. As a child, back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s my mom would take us to the park, our pockets loaded with acorns and peanuts for the squirrels. It was fun and so nice to watch the squirrels in their natural habitat, not ours. We also would take a ride down 169 to feed the goats and horses. We also fed pigeons and the stray cats. We all did, and no one complained.
Today people have an issue with feeding feral and stray cats, pigeons, and squirrels. What’s next? Will people complain about someone buying a homeless person a slice of pizza because they are a nuisance? I don’t even want to get started on the problem people have with pit bulls and other supposedly dangerous breeds. Give me a break.
This city does not just belong to us; it belongs to the wildlife as well. Instead of making your children afraid of wildlife and animals in general, teach then to love and respect them. Some small children are afraid of Santa Claus. Should we stop leaving cookies and milk, too?
KATHY LAYTOS