Dear Editor:

How would you feel if you heard your four year old son screaming and crying, "They're going to kill my dog, they're going to shoot my dog."?That's what I heard after about forty-five minutes of the Chief of Police, the Humane Officer and 5 city employees trying to catch my son's dog.They told my wife, "We need your help to catch that dog or we are going to have to shoot it." When I was summoned outside by my son's screams, I was told that they had been trying to catch four dogs for a week and they were down to two. Is there another traumatized child in San Saba for each of those dogs?I would point out that, that is a lot of man hours, X seven men and a lot of tax money spent to catch four dogs, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is my son being traumatized by hearing that his dog was about to be shot and killed before his eyes. His mother took him inside, but he would have still heard the shot and had to live with the fact that his dog was shot and killed in his yard. Could your child ever feel safe in that yard again?I built a fence to keep the dog inside the yard, but I have to support my family, I can't be here to follow every person in and out of the yard to make sure the gates are closed. So the dog gets out, as dogs do, when she gets a chance.I'm not saying that the dogs that are running loose shouldn't be picked up. I agree, they should be, but am I wrong to expect our Public Servants to have a little compassion for small children and don't come into OUR yards around OUR children saying they need OUR help to catch a dog IN OUR YARD or THEY WILL HAVE TO SHOOT IT?If the dogs are out running around, catch them while they are out running around. Don't wait until they are back in our yards and are no longer violating the law.Another suggestion, equip the Humane Officer with a tranquilizer gun. It is my understand that tranquilizer guns and ammo are expensive, but then ONE MAN can get them where he finds them, outside our yards and down the street leaving the Chief of Police available to take care of law breakers on our streets and let the other 5 men be paid for fixing our roads or anything else that is more constructive than traumatizing our children.

David Johnson San Saba, TX

Dear Editor:

I would like to educate the public, if possible, concerning a widely held misconception, by many, regarding drivers with a wheelchair tag hanging from their mirrors. One such thing does not necessarily indicate a handicapped driver, but merely a handicapped walker, who requires a nearer parking location to limit walking distance.In my condition, walking and standing are extremely difficult and painful because of crippling Rheumatoid arthritis in my left hip, leg , knee and ankle joint.I am okay when sitting - the position for driving. Some drivers slow down, or back off, and hesitate to pass, when they see my blue tag. That's not necessary. Go on and pass. Get on with it!Despite my physical condition, I am a competent driver, and am not mentally handicapped.

Thank you,Kenneth Drews San Saba, Tx