July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Pet owners can help save birds

Letters to the editor

To the editor:
The column in Wednesday’s paper about Jack Ronald’s slingshot hit close to home.  I’ve been a bird-lover for many years.  I feed and house native songbirds, and I do what I can to attract them to my yard.  Many of the plants in my yard were chosen because they help to feed and shelter the birds. One of my favorite past times in the summer is watching the new baby birds learning from their parents how to survive in a very dangerous world.  When I find a dead baby robin, bluebird, or house wren in my yard, my first thought is that a cat has killed it.  According to the American Bird Conservancy, “it is estimated that over 500 million to one billion birds are killed each year by free-roaming cats.”
I’m not against cats as pets.  My daughter has two rescued 10-year-old cats that are kept in the house and are very happy.  I’m only asking that cat owners be responsible.  All pets, including cats and dogs, should be confined to their own yards and not be allowed to roam.  The American Bird Conservancy also states, “Ultimately, cats are not responsible for killing our native wildlife — people are.  The only way to prevent domestic cat predation on wildlife is for owners to keep their cats indoors!”    
It seems like a simple solution, and millions of native birds would be saved each year.
Carol Johnston
Portland

Fundraising thanks
To the editor:
Thank you to everyone who helped support the Matt Aker Memorial Scholarship Fund at this year’s inaugural 8K run, motorcycle ride and golf outing. We would like to thank the following people, businesses or organizations that helped make the events a success: Jay County Fair Board for use of the grounds; Portland Golf Club; ECI Rolling Inferno; The Portland Foundation; Delta Theta Tau Sorority members; Patriot Fitness; Patriot Sportswear; Display Craft; Kyle Teeter; Walmart; Pastor Tim Dilley; Portland Police Department; Jay County Sheriff’s Office; Jay County EMS; WPGW Radio; The Commercial Review; East Jay Middle School athletic department; all the volunteers at each event; golf teams and sponsors; 8K runners; motorcycle riders; hole and door prize sponsors; and everyone that made a financial contribution to the fund. Thank you for your support.
Brooke Aker, Lori Ferguson and Jerry Funk, event chairpersons[[In-content Ad]]
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