I have wanted to write this letter for some time. The repetitive themes in the news about how people regard animals, has deeply touched my heart and soul. I believe that there are three kinds of people with respect to how they care about wild, domestic and farm animals.

People who are heartless toward animals are cruel to their pets, poach wild animals for thrills, hunt animals for trophies, slaughter wild animals to sell their body parts, raise and harvest farm animals with neglect, torture wild animals by trapping and baiting with poison, support killing coyotes just to have more deer to kill, fight governments to import a polar bear skin, sell and buy fur coats,and express glee about killing animals through pictures and storytelling.

People who are apathetic toward animals follow laws and regulations, but regard animals as not having emotions or feelings. As such, these folks have minimal regard with respect to how animals are raised and killed, may hunt legally but with minimal concern for animals and are immune to inhumane farming practices with poultry and meat products they choose to buy in grocery stores or restaurants.

People who are compassionate toward animals understand that we are stewards of nature and do not have dominion, embrace the concept that animals feel physical and emotional pain; experience fear and terror. And while this category of people includes vegetarians and vegans, it also includes people who hunt with humble respect for the animals they take and who strive to purchase humanely prepared animal products. These people passively or actively support efforts to stop practices of the heartless.

I belong to the compassionate category. So which category of people do you belong to?

Lynne Rothney-Kozlak, Litchfield