To the editor:

As a pet owner, I was offended by the not-so-underlying message of the Oct. 17 front-page article on the recent string of cat mutilations. Yes, ultimately the current cases under investigation would have been prevented if pet owners would abide by the law, keeping their cats indoors or “firmly attached to a leash or chain” but the manner in which the point was conveyed was a bit harsh for such an already-unnerving subject.

“Habitual violators can be jailed”? Was it really necessary to use scare tactics and so boldly outline these city codes and their corresponding fines to convey the article’s warning? Though ultimately these laws are in our best interest to protect the public, inadvertently stating that neglectful owners are to blame for their beloved family pets’ brutal mutilations and ultimate deaths is just insensitive in my opinion.

Kristina K. Dobbs,
Lawrence