Recent comments about solving the animal control cost problems by euthanizing animals made by Mayor Pete Lewis come as a slap in the face those of us who have been volunteering time, money and other resources to rescue and place animals.

My wife I have fostered more than 150 kittens and cats from King County, and most have come from South King County where I grew up. When we take them in, most are sick or too young to survive without constant care. Mayor Lewis would have most of these euthanized, yet all have found homes or will soon.

We acknowledge that there are serious problems at KCACC as catalogued most recently in a King County Auditor’s report. These lead to high costs, poor customer service and inadequate animal care. Euthanasia doesn’t solve this, but handing off to a strong and efficient organization can.

We would like Mayor Lewis to fully understand the data and take at least minimal responsibility for the high rate of stray animals that come from the Auburn area.

Simply washing his hands of responsibility and using euthanasia as an easy out shows not only a lack of compassion, but a serious misunderstanding of the problems facing animal care and control.

– Arie van der Hoeven