Letters to the editor

Using the holidays to save animals

I enjoyed reading the article (“No cruelty potluck” on July 8) about the all-vegan Fourth of July picnic sponsored by the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida.

As a vegetarian, I was glad to see so many others push aside burgers and hot dogs made from slaughtered animals, who lived every moment of their lives in misery and died a horrible, barbaric death.

A vegan barbecue can offer veggie dogs, veggie burgers, relish, coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob and everything else you'd expect, but without the guilt of animal suffering.

Plus, vegan food never has any cholesterol and very little saturated fat, which are prevalent in animal products and are chiefly responsible for obesity, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer.

Delicious food… no guilt… and a healthier way to live! Why not give it a try? There are so many vegan foods available at every supermarket now, from Boca Burgers to Gardein "chicken" wings and spicy "buffalo" wings. Several brands of creamy soy "ice cream" and Silk to replace milk are available, too.

—Jim Newkirk

Orlando

Updated animal ordinance needed now

On July 26, the Winter Park City Commission will consider the Parks and Recreation Boards’ modifications to the city’s existing animal ordinance.

The recommendations provide the following: 1. clarifies and simplifies the city’s animal regulations making them easier to understand and follow; 2. provides authority to enforce the animal ordinance and 3. adds Mead Garden, Kraft Azalea Garden and Dinky Dock Park to the existing Central Park as animal-prohibited parks.

Why change? Because the existing Winter Park animal ordinance contains no authority by anyone in the city of Winter Park, including the police department, to enforce its current animal ordinance. The updated animal ordinance would adopt the same civil citation, non-criminal language found in the Orange County ordinance to give our police enforcement capability.

Mead Garden and Kraft Azalea Garden are designated by our Comprehensive Land Management Plan to be wildlife conservation and sensitive wetland areas. Domesticated animals are not compatible and — in some cases, are detrimental — to the sensitive environment and natural wildlife living in these areas.

Dinky Dock Park was included because domesticated animals were prohibited in some areas not others and the Board felt this was confusing and encouraged violations (i.e. dogs on the beach, docks and lake). However, dog owners would still be permitted to take their dogs, on leash, to Dinky Dock Park should they wish to take them along on a boat.

As a second-year member of the Parks and Recreation Board, I have found that any discussion of regulations on domesticated animals brings out the militant and passionate dog-rights brigade eliciting commando style e-mails, threats of boycott and other ill-mannered behavior unless Winter Park adopts a “no rules approach.” However, we have the only off-leash dog park open for the public in our area and allow dogs almost everywhere.

In neighboring Baldwin Park and Orlando, dogs are prohibited off-leash everywhere. Therefore, I refute all who claim Winter Park is unfriendly to dog owners.

By the way, if you live in Winter Park or Orlando, you are already subject to the 2005 modified Orange County Animal Ordinance. It says your dog cannot be unleashed anywhere in Orange County except on your private property and designated areas; you are required to pick up your pet’s excrement anywhere it is deposited except on your private property; your dog may not bark excessively, be aggressive, or it may be considered a nuisance or a dangerous animal. Read the Orange County ordinance before reading the modified Winter Park ordinance and make your own conclusions. Link: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=10182&stateId=9&stateName=Florida

Go to Part II Orange County Code, Chapter 5 titled Animals. The penalty for violating any of Orange County’s animal ordinance is a maximum fine of $500.

I understand that owners of doggie companions living in urban environments such as Winter Park must also learn the rules of good citizenship. And good citizenship includes taking responsibility for your pets, respect for city regulations and respect for others. Remember, of the 28,000 residents of Winter Park, dog owners are a minority.

—Herb Weiss

Winter Park Parks and Recreation Board Commissioner

Summer sport training for your young star

Summertime means long days and plenty of time to play outdoors. Many coaches also take advantage of this time to get their teams ready for the fall season. With some 30 million school-aged children taking part in organized sports, injuries are inevitable. With proper preparation by kids, coaches and parents, a large number of sports-related injuries can be avoided. Here are some tips that will help prevent some of the most common types of injuries:

-Pre-Sscreening: All kids should have a physical before beginning any sport. Pre-screenings can clear kids to play and can identify any condition that could put a child at risk for injury.

-No playing through pain: Kids may think they’re helping the team, but they are only hurting themselves. If a child complains of a chronic ache or pain, see a doctor right away. Additionally, if your child suffers any type of head injury, look for signs of a concussion — headache, confusion, dizziness, forgetfulness, nausea, or change in behaviorn—nand seek medical attention immediately.

-Returning to play means taking proper precautions to ensure re-injury does not occur. Depending on the injury this could mean taping the affected area, new protective gear, wearing a brace, or involve a formal physical therapy/rehab plan.

-Know the rules and encourage safe play. Get to know your child’s coaches to see what their philosophy is on safety and injury prevention. Make sure your child’s coaches include proper warm-up and cool down exercises with every practice.

-Don’t push: Sports should be fun and teach kids life lessons about teamwork, problem solving, and good sportsmanship. Pushing your child to excel and win-at-all-costs can cause emotional stress, overuse injuries and burnout.

For more tips and detailed information about getting back in the game, visit KidsHealth.org.

— Kevin Neal, M.D.

Orthopedic surgeon in the Department of Orthopedics at Nemours

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McCollum should help, not hinder, local self-government

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum said that if elected, he will seek to impose a two-year freeze on property taxes for local governments across Florida. He said Floridians need a “time out.”

A “time out” so that state government can once again meddle in local affairs instead of tending to pressing statewide issues? Those of us who believe that people in local communities are smart enough to govern themselves have had enough of big brother mandates and restrictions, whether from the state government, the federal bureaucracy, or some multinational corporation. To frame this proposal as a “time out” is especially insensitive at a time when Florida’s coastal communities are fighting around the clock to protect their hometowns from the oil disaster.

McCollum’s proposal elevates politics above leadership. Where does he think Florida’s coastal cities and counties are getting the financial resources to deal with this crisis? It certainly hasn’t come from BP. Rather than waiting at the mercy of BP or federal and state government as the oil advanced toward their shores, leaders in Florida’s coastal cities and counties have pulled together, seized the initiative and are putting everything they have into protecting our coast. When cash on hand has failed they have turned to their reserves.

Elected city and county leaders are working with public employees around the clock alongside business owners, neighbors and volunteers. They do this even though they were told that BP might not reimburse their efforts. They were warned their actions might violate some rule worked out between big government and big business. But while the state and federal government appointed task forces and held conference calls these local leaders got together with their citizens and took matters into their own hands. They declared their willingness to go to jail if it would protect their beaches, their homes and their livelihoods. It has been a remarkable demonstration of exactly why local self-government is the keystone of American Democracy and why Florida’s local governments – those “closest to the people” – are so important.

With a $6 billion state deficit, a broken property insurance market and a catastrophic oil spill that threatens the very identity of coastal communities, our candidates for statewide office ought to be focusing on these pressing matters rather than meddling in local affairs.

The BP oil spill is challenging in so many ways, with numerous short and long term repercussions for our citizens and the communities that we live in. But know that the Florida League of Cities is dedicated to preserving Floridians’ right to govern themselves and pursue their own destinies – free from needless interference by state or federal governments or multinational corporations.

As such, we hope McCollum will reconsider his big government, interfering, “father-knows-best” proposal and let local communities continue to exercise their constitutional right to govern themselves.

—Mike Sittig

Executive Director of the Florida League of Cities