Letters to the Editor: Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024

Miami County Animal Control officers seized 43 cats Monday, July 15, 2024, from Our Farm Sanctuary outside Tipp City due to unsanitary conditions and overcrowding. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: Jim Noelker

Credit: Jim Noelker

Miami County Animal Control officers seized 43 cats Monday, July 15, 2024, from Our Farm Sanctuary outside Tipp City due to unsanitary conditions and overcrowding. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Everyone loves a good animal rescue story. Through no fault of their own, animals often wind up in situations where their very survival depends on benevolent intervention by humans. It’s not only positive for the animals involved, but a counterbalance to all the negative news stories. Sometimes these rescues are undertaken to elevate individuals or organizations, as well as the obvious good of the animal. Private rescues depend heavily on public contributions for their vital missions, and it never hurts to have a reputation of stepping up for animals in need. Several months ago, a rescue in Miami County, Our Farm Sanctuary, decided to rescue a pig in dire circumstances in California. I have no issue with the premise of rescuing the pig, but it seems very likely that a rescue in California or an adjoining state could have taken care of it much more easily, given the difficult logistics. Instead, funding was solicited, volunteers flew to California, rented a truck and an air conditioned trailer, and made the long trek back to Ohio. All good, right? Not exactly. At that same rescue, over forty cats were contained in a “cottage” in horrific conditions. Filthy, inadequate ventilation, not enough fresh water or food. Finally, someone from the rescue reported the abuse, a search warrant was obtained and carried out, and the cats, many in terrible condition, were seized and taken to the County Shelter. Charges were brought, followed by conviction on those charges. Part of the penalty was a prohibition of having companion animals for the rest of the defendant’s life. It’s hard to imagine how this happened, and how it went on as long as it did. I’m fairly certain the money spent on a questionable trip to California might have been better spent on the animals already under the rescue’s care, but would not have generated the “likes” on social media, or the positive attention that comes along with the more dramatic stories.

- Doug Smith, Piqua

I am the Service Unit Chair of Beavercreek North Girl Scouts – one of the many local Service Units that are a part of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. In my volunteer position, I oversee the activities of 48 Girl Scout troops in the city of Beavercreek, including 7 troops made up of Girls who attend the parochial school attached to our local parish, St Luke Catholic Church. The relationship between St. Luke School and Beavercreek North Girl Scouts has existed for decades. Girl Scouts is a significant identity to these girls – so much so they refer to themselves as “St. Luke Girl Scouts” and the leaders of these troops have formed a close-knit cohort that works together make sure that their girls fully integrate the pillars of Girl Scouts into their Catholic education, their Catholic faith and practices, and community service aimed at the school, parish, and wider Catholic interests. I would say, without a doubt, the leaders of these troops model the actions that all Girl Scout leaders can do to make Girl Scouts relevant to girls’ lives. Beyond the faith-related aspects of Girl Scouting, please recognize that girls benefit in many ways from their involvement in Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts offers ALL girls a safe place to grow as individuals, become leaders, and explore life in ways that might not otherwise be possible. Girl Scouting offers ALL girls the chance to interact with strong female role models, interact in the out-of-doors safely at dedicated Girl Scout camps, identify and remediate issues in their community that concern them, and make new friends among girls they might not otherwise meet. All of these activities help grow “girls of courage, confidence, and character that make the world a better place.” Indeed, our Girl Scout Law lists 15 character values, that although they are presented in a humanist form, are exactly the kind of Christ-focused ideals all people should learn and practice, especially our girls. Girl Scouts has been a venue to reach ALL girls with these ideals, along with a carefully designed and pedagogically effective curriculum encouraging the development of life skills, the exploration of personal interests, the encouragement of STEM activity for girls, an emphasis on outdoor skills, and the opportunity to experience entrepreneurship in an age-appropriate way. It is my personal opinion that discouraging girls who participate in Catholic parishes from also participating in Girl Scouts is a mistake – it certainly is for the St Luke Girl Scouts whose lives are absolutely made richer through Girl Scouting.

- Susan Grinkemeyer, Beavercreek