To The Editor:

Let’s hope that whoever bound two kittens with fishing line and left them on a boat in West Palm Beach – possibly to use them as alligator bait – is quickly apprehended and charged with cruelty to animals. There is no excuse for cruelty, but readers can help prevent other cats and dogs from being abused by never allowing animals outdoors unattended or advertising animals “free to a good home.”

Every day, countless animals across the country are used for target practice, stolen for experimentation, poisoned, used in dog fighting, and worse after being left outside alone. Most of the more than 300 new cruelty cases PETA receives weekly involve animals who were victimized while outside unattended. Many unscrupulous people also obtain “free” animals through ads and use them as bait, sell them to laboratories for experiments, or abuse and kill them in other ways.

People who must part with their animals should take them to a reputable, open-admission shelter – where they will be safe, cared for, and will have a chance at finding new homes. To learn more, visit www.HelpingAnimals.com.

Martin Mersereau, Director

Emergency Response Team

Cruelty Investigations Department

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Norfolk, Va.