Sorry folks, we didn’t have room to print all your letters – there were just too many.
— Terry Manners, Editor, Western Daily Press

Reporter’s criticism was totally out of order

I READ Mr Dennis Payter’s article criticising and belittling readers who have donated to the very worthy and commendable Western Daily Bear appeal.

I feel this article warrants a very quick and clean response. Firstly, donors to his appeal have exercised free choice as is their entitlement.

Secondly, by doing so, donating to an animal appeal – for example, bears – does not mean that human charity appeals are deemed less worthy in these donors’ thoughts and considerations as he implies.

As to how ‘far away’ in the world geographically these innocent bears are, suffering barbaric cruelty does not make them a non-issue or unworthy to be recipients of freely and generously given compassionate humane donations as readers have proven splendidly.

Mr Payter needs to realise and reflect upon the fact that humane considerations are global in their nature as are donations to such appeals and that the individual donor decides which appeal to donate to, be it animal or human as the occasion occurs, therefore Mr Payter’s homily was totally out of order.

Martin Quigley, Hinton, Hereford

He is all mouth and no action

HAVING just read the article by Mr Payter, I think he has missed the point. I have not donated to the bear appeal because they are cuddly looking animals, but because they have been kept in the most horrific conditions and tortured every day.

I think that any animal receiving the same treatment at the hands of so-called humans would have raised the same sort of support to aid those who are trying to end their suffering.

For Mr Payter’s information, myself, my partner, my family and my friends all give donations to numerous other needy causes, air ambulance, children’s hospice, money and clothing to charity shops, who send aid to the starving in the Third World.

Does he think: “They are only bears. Why should we be bothered to save their suffering?” What gives Mr Payter the right to assume that we only give to cuddly causes? Be assured, Mr Payter, we support many, many worthy causes.

May I suggest that someone take Mr Payter to China and put him in a cage much too small for him for one week. I wonder if he would feel relieved to be rescued.

To me, he sounds like a heartless non-caring all-mouth-and-no-action man.

Ms D A Head, Ross-on- Wye, Hereford

Writer must be a very sad man

HAVING read the article by the Evening Post journalist I feel that he must be a very sad man, not having any compassion for animals.

His piece is full of assumptions that people who support your appeal for the abused Moon Bears do not support human beings who are also suffering.

My wife and I are both in our 80s and our income is basic state pension and some savings.

However, apart from giving to special appeals such as Moon Bears, tsunami and Sudan disasters, we donate to 12 very worthwhile charities on a regular basis and I am sure many of your readers may also do this.

I feel that the writer of the article was extremely harsh in his criticism of your appeal, and wish you every success in your continuation in freeing the bears.

K J Baker, Nailsea, Bristol

He is an April Fool

THIS letter is in reply to the article written by Dennis Payter, who made himself look a right April’s Fool.

Most people who give to animal charities also support human charities as well, because they are genuinely nice caring people.

I think Dennis Payter should be locked in a metal cage and have his teeth and nails pulled out, insert a metal tube into his gall bladder, then take him miles away and forget about him, because it seems that’s what he wants to happen to the Moon Bears.

I regularly support cancer research, heart research, Macmillan nurses, RSPCA, IFAW – giving a little, but often, as every penny counts with all charities.

So tell him to get his facts right.

Mrs H S Perry, Warminster, Wiltshire

Just who does he think he is?

AS I was reading Dennis Payter’s article, I was getting more and more angry.

Who does he think he is to tell us what we should or should not do with our money? You can say that about any charity: Why give to that one when this one is better? There are always deserving cases and people or animals to help.

I think this particular charity appeal is all the more poignant because man is subjecting these beautiful animals to abject horrors and the Chinese Government is not doing enough to actually stop it.

I thank God we have people in this world like Jill Robinson MBE and Greenpeace, to try and stop the dolphin and whale slaughters, or the obscene slaughters of the seals in Canada, who are actually willing to go out there and try and change the world.

Carry on like this and there won’t be any animals left to kill.

Sue Jenkins

Views are illogical

MY thanks to Dennis Payter for expressing his callous, heartless and completely illogical views. It proved to be just the spur my wife and I needed to reach for our cheque book and make a second donation. I hope and pray that many other readers may be moved in the same way.

Mr Payter’s selfish attitude sums up all that is wrong with the world today.

Desmond Powell, Taunton, Somerset

Continue to be amazed, Dennis

So Dennis Payter is amazed that we choose to give our money to the Animals Asia Foundation above those charities listed.

That’s all right by me.

Mr Payter needs to understand that what we choose to do with our money is up to us. If we choose to spend it down the pub, put a match to it, or donate it to human or animal charities, that is our choice.

I am sorry Dennis Payter has no understanding of human nature and would like him to know that it is not acceptable to all people that he allowed his children to enjoy goldfish and hamsters spending their whole artificial lives in tanks and cages.

We believe that the day will come when all animals will have their animal rights – free from human interference, existing only in their wild and natural state. Mr Dennis Payter can continue to be amazed.

Janet Hall, Cirencester

A heartless person

In reply to Dennis Payter’s comments about the Moon Bears, I am an animal lover and have horses, also cattle. If we want to send a donation to help rescue the lovely bears, it is up to the people who read the WDP.

The journalist is a heartless person. I felt sick reading his views regarding animals. I applaud the wonderful staff for all this hard work.

Patsy Morrissey Miles, Cricklade, Swindon

IT has always amazed me how people are willing to give so much of their spare time to good causes, “in that true British spirit,” etc, etc, says Mr Payter.

How sanctimonious and patronising can one get?

Are you aware, Mr Payter, that if you were shut in a cage so small that you were unable to sit up or even stretch out lying down; that if you had your fingers sliced off and your teeth filed down to the gums or removed; that if you had the bile extracted from your gall bladder through a metal pipe and were in continuous misery and dreadful pain for 20 or more years you would suffer no more than a Moon Bear? Their pain transmitting receptors in their nervous systems are as equally sophisticated as ours. The only difference being is your suffering wouldn’t go on for anything like 20 years because the bear’s constitution (unfortunately for them) is vastly superior to ours.

You are right that everyone has their own thoughts on how money should be spent, but you intimate in your article that people who give to animal charities do not support other charities.

You might find there are people who give and people who don’t give and this is regardless of whether the charities are for animals, starving Third World inhabitants, tsunami victims, Children in Need – the list is endless.

Lee Gibbins, Holford

Back
to the original story.