Can relate to hospital anger

I can relate to the part of the article about Shundeez (“Since 1994, great homemade Persian food at Shundeez,” Aug. 9) in which owner Maurice Lavasani said he waited several hours for surgery in a hospital before finally walking out in anger and frustration and with no surgery.

In April, 2010, my stomach began to hurt right square in the middle. I thought it was food poisoning. The next morning it was worse. I couldn't get out of bed. My then-fiancée (now wife), Kathi, came home at noon, dressed me and took me to Holy Redeemer Emergency Room, where they told me it was my appendix. They said, “Lie on this gurney" and called a doctor in his car to come back for emergency surgery.

The doctor told me, "A little hole here, a little hole there. Nothing to it 'cause it hasn't burst. We're just waiting for an operating room. You'll be home tomorrow."

That was 1:30 p.m.

At 7 p.m. my appendix burst. I went through the roof. They hit me with a giant needle of dilaudid. The operation was at 11p.m. and lasted three hours because the surgeon had to clean up my insides from the burst, and I spent six nights in the hospital.

The definition of ER is, "emergency." They're supposed to be prepared for emergencies.

Ray Culver Sr. Pocono Lake, PA

‘Clear Shelters’ not a good idea

Saturday, Aug. 18, is a national effort to “Clear the Shelters” by giving away dogs and cats on demand with little or no background checks on the adopters. Even those with malicious intent can acquire a dog or cat. The goal is to get more animals adopted, which is admirable, but giving animals out like candy is not the way to maintain a long-term, mutually happy pet-human relationship. Knowing the personality of the animals and its needs (medical, physical, emotional) and matching them with an appropriate household is essential.

As a rescue, we find so many cats that have already been microchipped and adopted from ACCT or the SPCA and have then been dumped into the streets. Many of these "Clear the Shelter" animals will also be dumped or returned. Animals are not widgets to be cleared off the shelves. It may sound great in theory but giving animals away is wrong.

Until we mandate and enforce spay/neutering, close puppy mills, stop the sale of animals in stores and by breeders, educate the public, strengthen and enforce our animal abuse laws, our shelters will always be overcrowded with unwanted animals. Animals need our protection and should not be victims of a PR idea gone wrong.

Brenda Malinics BrendasCatRescue Andorra