To The Point (From News Shopper)

To The Point

9:06am Tuesday 18th April 2006 in Letters

STOP THE BREEDING: The spectre of bird flu must surely make it imperative the breeding of game birds stops immediately. It will make no sense for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to require the indoor housing of all poultry if it turns its back on the outdoors breeding, rearing and release of 35 million game birds. A ban will reduce the risk for everyone including Britain's domestic and wild birds. Defra must keep one step in front of bird flu, not one step behind. By August the birds are beginning to be released for a shooting season from September 1 to February 1. The release of so many birds will significantly increase the avian and human contagion risk. Steps must be taken to humanely house the existing birds but there must be an immediate ban on all further breeding and shooting, which itself further disperses existing wild birds into other areas.

ROBERT ROACH

Address supplied

FLAGGED UP: It is great to see flags of various nations in international sport. England is well represented with the flag of St George on many occasions, whether is be football, cricket, rugby or athletics. When it comes to St George's day on April 23, it's sad there are very few flags to be seen. I hope the Mayor of London will support the day as he did for St Patrick's Day. It is also great to hear the hymn Land of Hope and Glory being sung when we are represented. You've probably guessed by now that I am English and proud of it.

MR D TURNER

Welling

CATNAPPING: What is happening to our pet cats? Every week another one goes missing, causing much stress to the owners. Different areas suddenly get a lot of cats disappearing. At one time it was Eltham, then Bexley, then Dartford. Are there a couple of workmen who move around contracting and find it amusing to pick up a friendly cat, then at the end of the day, deposit the animal to an unknown place? I have been told this has happened. Why isn't more done about these stolen pets?

P HIBBARD

Slade Green

DONOR CARDS: In church we pray regularly for a young lady who is awaiting a lung transplant. She is in her mid-20s, on constant oxygen, housebound and largely confined to bed. Nothing more can be done for her until a lung replacement becomes available. We pray it may be soon. I am writing about organ donor cards. I feel far too few people bother to carry a donor card. I appeal to readers to carry with them an organ donor card at all times.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED