Local resident upset about barking dogs (11/03/05)

To the editor:

I have a comment, and I feel a large part of this community may share the same viewpoint.

The barking dogs are a nuisance preventing us from enjoying our home. We cannot step out into our backyard without three large, unattended, fenced in, and, in my opinion, neglected pets barking their fool heads off constantly.

Many times these neighbors leave for the entire day, not returning until 11 p.m., while all day into the evening it's a constant disruption and not to mention the smell over those hot and humid summer days.

By the time they get home, I am well on the way to being a total wreck, so I do not and have not approached them about this matter. I feel it would do little to resolve this situation. (Besides, they should have more sense than that). Some people prefer their pets to their fellow human beings anyway.

First, your neighbors have a responsibility not to create or maintain a nuisance. We are all taxpayers and we all have every right to a peaceful home and environment.

Second, if people aren't able to give animals or children the degree of attention and care they need and deserve because you're too busy working, don't have the money, don't have the time (every excuse in the book), they should do themselves, the animals, the children, and the neighborhood in general a favor and not have them in the first place.

I learned the hard way that in today's “it's all about me” society, going out of one's way to be considerate of others around me did little but turn me into a doormat and make me appear to be a pushover or somebody to be taken advantage of in the eyes of others.

I won't be deliberately inconsiderate, but my days of putting up with and making excuses for the thoughtless actions of neighbors (and their dogs) are long since finished. I have the right to the enjoyment of my space as well. Too many of those with the offending dogs feel as though everybody else around them relinquishes THEIR rights in order to compensate for the rights of the dog keeper.

There are many items on the market that these inconsiderate dog owners can invest in to create a more peaceful environment for their community and can be done in a humane way. They can invest in collars that go off when the dog barks, but instead of a shock, it sprays a citrus spray in the air. Apparently, dogs do not like the scent and it works as a tool for behavior modification. A web site they can go to is called "Citronella anti bark collars"

I am sure there is a municipal code with an ordinance against the maintaining of dogs that intrude on the use and enjoyment of the other property owners here in Portland. Maybe your paper should print that from time to time just as a reminder to the rights of non pet owners.

Sincerely,

Victoria Williams

Portland

Festival a success

To the editor:

The Jay County Historical Society wishes to thank all who were involved in making our Heritage Festival a huge success. A special thanks goes to chairpersons Rosie Grapner and Sandy Bubp and their committee for all of the time and effort they put into planning and organizing another very successful festival. Thanks, too, to the many volunteers who helped, as well as the crafters, artisans, and performers who displayed their talents and wares.

The Historical Society wishes to recognize Arts Place, Inc., the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts for the grant we received. These funds made it possible to bring in more artisans and continue the festival as a two-day event.

The weatherman provided two perfect days for a festival. As participants began setting up displays on Saturday morning, the first guests arrived. Three deer wandered out of the adjoining cornfield to see what all the commotion was about. Over the two days, an estimated 1,800 people gathered to view displays and demonstrations inside and outside of the museum, listen to storytellers and musicians and sample the food. They consumed over 450 foot-long hot dogs, many flavored with the chili sauce you may remember from Portland’s former B&K Root Beer Stand, 100 apple dumplings, sixty pounds of beans cooked over an open fire with ham in two large iron kettles, cornbread, one large iron kettle of chili, ice cream, cake, and lot of other goodies. (If you aren’t aware, the footlong hot-dog is part of Jay County’s history as it was the idea of former rural Redkey resident Nellie Smith.)

Thanks to all who took the time to attend our festival. It was exciting to see families with young children enjoying this event. Hopefully, the children went away with a little better understanding of life in the past after they had experienced activities such as candle dipping or some “larnin’” in the museum’s one-room school.

We invite the community to visit the museum throughout the year. Watch for announcements of special hours as we celebrate “Christmas Through the Years,” in late November and December. Also, mark your calendars and be sure to attend next year’s Heritage Festival which is already being planned for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

Sincerely,

Kay Locker

President

Jay County Historical Society[[In-content Ad]]