Sunday, November 1, 2009

Q. Your column used to be about pets and their problems. Seems like lately all you talk about is iguanas and snakes. I used to like to read your advice because I have lots of pets and I can't always afford to go to the vet. Now it's just iguanas. Not everybody likes the iguanas! I wish you would go back to real pets.

-- No Name

A. Thank you for your letter and opinion. If you don't write, I can't address your concerns. Please understand that I feel that it is my responsibility to address all animal issues. These include individual pets, wildlife, disease threats (e.g. avian flu) and more. I promise that everything I write is backed up by science, not just opinion. If I have an opinion, I clearly state it as such. I realize that you may not like iguanas, but outside of the Keys millions of pet owners keep both iguanas and pythons as pets. To them, their reptiles are just as important as your dogs and cats are to you.

Please read the next letter -- there are also readers who appreciate the "non-pet" subjects.

Q. I wanted to thank Dr. Doug for his column in the paper (Solares Hill, Oct. 18) about the cigarette butts. It's most unfortunate that you seem to have lost a client [who said, "I have never been told to pick up my cigarette butts in my life!'], but people like that are energy vampires anyway.

The ignorant woman just doesn't get it. Well, what can I say? One good thing is that it brings trash to the forefront again, where it should be always. You must see so many horror stories about animals suffering because of human carelessness and negligence that you have (in my opinion) pretty much an obligation to do what you did -- and we all have an obligation on this! Unfortunately, you cannot enlighten and educate everyone. Just know that most of what you say and do "sticks" and this person some day will hopefully realize her stupidity, apologize and live a more conscious life for people, animals and planet.

I'm sick and tired of spending countless hours picking up other people's trash that washes in, but I won't stop doing it because literally with every piece I pick up I think of the turtles, birds and other animals who suffer because of the human hand. We can't all do everything but we can each do something. I read a really great quote last week, it's my new favorite: "Action is the antidote to despair." Thanks for a well-written column, keep up the great work.

-- Jen,

Big Pine Key

A. Thank you for the kind words. I feel that it really is a privilege to live here in the Keys. Even though we do live here, we are still just visitors in the big picture. We owe it to the environment to take care of it. If it means helping others understand the importance of this concept, we should make the effort to get involved.

My goal in writing this column every week is to promote the human-animal bond and, to me, that includes both our pets and the wild animals all around us.

Dear readers: For the next week I will be leading a group of 21 veterinarians on a trip to study polar bears near the Arctic Circle. If you would like to see what we are doing, please check out my daily blog: www.cliniciansbrief.com/polarbear

Dr. Mader is an ABVP board certified veterinary specialist practicing in the Keys. Send your questions to Mvh525@aol.com.