The headline on Tuesday's article about the euthanasia rate for cats at the Dane County Humane Society did a disservice to the organization's caring employees and volunteers who give abandoned and abused animals a chance.

The headline, "Shelter Kills 2 out of 5 Cats," will do nothing but end up killing more cats.

The DCHS survives on donations from the public, and your headline will result in fewer donations. And that will mean less money for the programs that work to reduce the number of animals that have to be euthanized.

The DCHS often takes in cats that no one else -- including the "no-kill shelters" -- will take.

It's easy to be a "no-kill shelter" if you refuse to take animals because they are sick or if you only take a certain number. So where do those animals end up? At the DCHS.

Please stop harping on the DCHS and start talking about the real problems:

* People who abandon or surrender their animals because they consider them throw-away entities.

* People who abuse animals.

* People who don't get their cat or dog spayed or neutered.

* Let's start applauding the work the DCHS is trying to do and support them by adopting an animal or making a donation.

-- Marty Rostermundt, Madison

Community to blame

I've been a member of the Dane County Humane Society since 1993. I have volunteered in many areas and try to keep informed with policy changes.

I wasn't happy about the reduction of cat cages on the adoption floor, and it made me sad after a visit.

But in hindsight, it truly is bettter for the cats living there to have two cages to live in versus one.

Our community is to blame for the high euthanasia rates at the shelter for not spaying, neutering and microchipping their pets. There are few valid reasons to surrender a pet, such as human health concerns and inability to care for the pets any longer. But moving and new babies as excuses don't cut it with me. People need to consider the shelter a final option, not a first one.

Please know the staff is there to love and care for the animals -- not euthanize them, which is a sad day for all involved. Please support our shelter for the sake of the animals.

-- Sue McKean, Middleton

Waiting patiently for pope to act

I thank State Journal columnist Bill Wineke for his excellent coverage of the scandals within the Catholic Church.

Their moral position was severely damaged by a cardinal and several bishops.

As a life-long Catholic, this has been extremely painful.

Now I wait patiently for the pope to take the necessary steps to bring his flock back.

This issue cannot be ignored.

-- Gene Wagner, Janesville