Animal orgs large and small work together
Manhattan: Edwin Sayres’ Sept. 30 op-ed ” ‘Pet charity paradox’ hurts stray cats & dogs” misleads readers by suggesting that supporting national animal welfare organizations like the ASPCA comes at the expense of local shelters. That claim fundamentally mischaracterizes how animal welfare works today. The ASPCA works alongside local shelters, rescues and communities across the country to help animals — not in competition with them.
In 2025 alone, the ASPCA provided more than $29 million in grants and supported more than 1,400 organizations nationwide. We helped find or support safe, loving homes for more than 70,000 animals while providing veterinary care, relocation services, disaster and cruelty response, behavioral expertise, professional training and other critical resources to local animal welfare organizations. The suggestion that this lifesaving work somehow doesn’t count because it doesn’t arrive in the form of a check written directly to a shelter is inaccurate.
Equally misleading is Sayres’ suggestion that shelter euthanasia is merely a math problem solved by purchasing more kennel space. Animals enter shelters for complex reasons, and shelters face challenges involving veterinary access, staffing, behavioral needs, housing barriers and capacity. Preventing animals from entering is a clear protective measure every bit as important as caring for them once they arrive. We’re proud to work alongside local shelters and rescues, and we won’t be distracted from that mission by arguments designed to divide us.
Matt Bershadker, president and CEO, ASPCA
Unfair fee
Staten Island: I’d like to know if any of our politicians are fighting to stop the awful congestion pricing fee. It’s completely unfair to expect NYC residents to pay additional money just to drive on our own city streets. We’re already paying high property taxes, high car insurance and eye-popping electric and gas bills. I don’t understand how this isn’t considered an illegal practice. I thought extortion was against the law.
Phyllis O’Callaghan
Already blocked
Cedarhurst, L.I.: According to the NYC Department of Transportation, once a driveway has a permanent structure/object blocking the driveway, it’s no longer a driveway. Common sense would therefore no longer consider the curb cut an illegal parking spot. I was informed that this isn’t the case. It’s still illegal to park at the curb cut. Doesn’t make sense. Can any readers direct me to where this law is posted? I’ve also been told that the owner of the unusable driveway must redo the curb cut as a continuous curb. I’ve never seen that done. Where is all of this posted? Is it state law or NYC law? Yes, I was ticketed in Brooklyn near my doctor’s office, and of course am trying to fight it.
E. Weiner
Affordability costs
Huntington, L.I.: The Housing Preservation Trust and PACT are feasible only because the funding for public housing shifts from Section 9 to the more generous Section 8 (“New York City housing is getting the boosts it needs,” editorial, Oct. 4). The $80 billion NYCHA needs to rehab its properties doesn’t disappear. The cost of continuing to subsidize NYCHA also doesn’t end. It’s instead borne by federal taxpayers. The $607 million to rehab 1,148 units works out to more than $500,000 per unit. The average NYCHA rent is $621 per month. Would a private developer spend this much to receive so little in return? This is an example of the welfare state run amok.
Tom Saracco
Fact-finding
Richmond Hill: To Voicer Matthew J. Mari: Gov. Hochul is not speaking out against the young men accused of rape at Cornell University. It was discovered that the original investigation was flawed and left out pertinent information. Hochul requests a transparent and independent review of the case, which would include all the information. This is the opposite of communistic, as you call it. It seems that your anger at the governor and attorney general seem to supersede getting the facts of this case, where this girl could have truly been raped by many. If true, the rapists should be punished.
Ene Kelly
More honest motto
Brooklyn: It’s nice to know that the Chi Phi fraternity’s motto includes truth, honor and personal integrity, and that they focus on building better men through leadership and character development, which apparently now includes how to skillfully drug and gang-rape female fellow students! They certainly showed the world what a despicable, valueless fraternity they truly are and remain to this day, 202 years after its founding. As for Cornell itself, I have several new slogan ideas, like: “Cornell: Where gang rape just is,” or “Cornell: Where an essay keeps you free!” Even better: “Cornell: Where our PD looks the other way!” Way to go, Big Red!
Kevin Hanley
True as ever
Massapequa, L.I.: While flipping through TV channels the other night, I came across “The Wizard of Oz” just as the Scarecrow said, “Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking.” This was in 1939, 87 years ago. Was he talking about President Trump?
Ron Boehning
Filthy riches
Sayville, L.I.: Many have wondered how Jeffrey Epstein got so rich. From what’s known, people of far greater wealth were his patrons and enriched him far beyond what he supposedly did for a living. Is it any coincidence that his wealth grew as he was pimping underage girls to the same wealthy people? The same should be asked of Trump. In the past 18 months of his second term, he has made more than $7 billion — more than he made in his previous 60 years. The only way to explain it is the same as Epstein, except Trump has been pimping America — its security, its present and its future. Two more years of this may put our country in a hole it’ll never get out of. The midterms have never been more important. The brakes must be put on this massive grift, and it can’t wait two years.
Michael Hooker
Prophetic voice
Beechhurst: At the dawn of the atomic age, one of America’s greatest generals, Omar Bradley, said these indelible words: “If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.” Eight decades later, a new technological invention, AI, has hung another sword of Damocles over humanity’s head. With Anthropic’s founder and CEO Dario Amodei and other “superintelligence” gurus prattling on about how AI has attained “conscious being” status, we seem to be marching toward the abyss. Luckily, there’s one world leader — Pope Leo XIV — who sees the godawful peril of making this machine into a god.
James Hyland
Unexpected thrill
Yonkers: I continue to root for the New York Giants and wait for their shining moments. Meanwhile, I happened upon the Kansas City Chiefs/Las Vegas Raiders game on Sunday with three minutes left on the clock. Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins’ performance mesmerized me for 15 football minutes.
Susan A. Stark