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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, August 22, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 905-845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award Neil Oliver Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Respect life You'd be hardpressed to find a child who isn't fascinated by animals. That inherent trait in children may be the reason so many animal attraction venues exist, but it's that very respect and awe of animals we should remember not to breach. Last week's news that all, particularly with sea mammals, is not well at the popular and well-loved Marineland was heartbreaking to many. No one likes to see a long established, mainstay attraction suddenly fall from grace. Worse, however, is the thought of animals suffering for our entertainment. Word now is the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) and the provincial government are stepping in to take a look at the situation in Niagara Falls. So, too, will the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) review its assessment. Parents of the many children who love animals are happy to indulge their little ones by visiting family-friendly venues such as zoos, aquatic centres and more. At home, pets -- often starting at the obligatory goldfish and scaling up to cats and dogs -- become part of the family for similar reasons. Animal rights groups and humane societies are often the voice of reason reminding people how to care for pets, advising what not to do with wildlife that brings about inappropriate results and helping everyone keep a cool head around ill-founded ideas like puppies as gifts for Christmas or bunnies for Easter. As we expand human rights and develop a meaningful conscience about our environment, we should not forget to be respectful and mindful of our co-habitants on Earth. Major animal attraction venues are all around us. When we visit, do we have our eyes open? What about at home? Just as the troubles were reported at Marineland so, too, was the Oakville & Milton Humane Society called out to assess a case of three dogs left in a vehicle here in Oakville. The local humane society didn't mess around. It went to bat to ensure the animals' safety in short order. No wonder. In recent times, coyotes have been attracted to urban neighbourhoods by people feeding them -- with dire consequences. A bear met its end by venturing into a neighbourhood in Burlington last spring. And no one can forget the case of the little dog Daisy, who was found with fur matted, nails overgrown and in distress. There was Mei, the dog left tied up in an unheated garage. Sadly, the list goes on. Please remember the times when we were young and began our lives in awe of animals, and be respectful of those creatures that share our world. It's a practice we should continue. They depend on us. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the person with the pickup truck who found my purse (with all the documents and camera) on the road on Yates Court on Aug. 6 -- and returned it all intact. It is very nice to know that such honest people exist among us. Ljuba Simovic, Oakville Thanks to honest person Letter to the editor Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Comment offends reader Re: Oakville to celebrate Olympians, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012, The Oakville Beaver In the afterglow of the Summer Games, we can and should be proud of all of our local Olympians. But I take exception to Mayor Rob Burton's opinion about what Oakville's doing to raise so many of them. In the article, Oakville to Celebrate Olympians, he is quoted as saying, "The secret of our success is we put as much love into our kids as we possibly can" and other parents should "just step up the level of love you shower on your kids and away you go." Is he suggesting that maybe parents raising kids elsewhere simply don't love their kids as much, and if they did then they, too, could see these results and be proud of their children? Let's remember that our town happens to have solid athletic clubs, which have attracted great coaches and volunteers, and are attended by kids (many with a natural talent) who are supported by, in most cases, parents with the time and financial wherewithal to make the training, travel and competitive experiences possible. Oakville's Olympic success is about a lot of factors, including personal/family sacrifice and great community spirit, but let's not confuse any of those with "a level of love" showered by parents onto their kids. I believe that all good parents, regardless of where they're raising their families, will do the very best they can for their kids and love them in ways that aren't measured in medals or achievement. That kind of love is already a success. G. Moes, Oakville Oakville loves its Olympians Re: Oakville to celebrate Olympians, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012, The Oakville Beaver When CTV asked Mayor Rob Burton what Oakville is doing to raise so many Olympians, there are many ways he could have answered. For example, pointing out their perseverance and hard work, the support of their families, our great clubs, etc. Instead, he pinpointed the only thing that really matters, and that encompasses all of those things anyway. He replied, "The secret of our success is we put as much love into our kids as we possibly can..." (Oakville Beaver, Wed. Aug. 15). So, congratulations to our Olympic athletes and the families at home and in the community who love them. As do we all. Erika Ristok, Oakville