DEAR EDITOR:

I told my family in California about this kind lady in Girard who tried to help a stray dog she found running loose in a heavy traffic area, no less.

When I sent my family your Nov. 22 article about it, they were saddened and mortified that a good Samaritan, Lisa Marchese, could be found guilty of any crime over this.

My brother wrote me back saying this:

It is total BS! The answer is political. There are so many animal lovers connected by social media now that big force can be applied to the knuckleheads in power. If a bureaucrat said, “Just leave strays out there,” here in California, big protests would erupt. Here, there is no ownership or responsibility until 3 days have passed. Then the animal is considered abandoned. No liability either. Plus, we have a massive network of rescue groups to help.

Lisa Marchese did a wonderful thing by helping a poor defenseless animal in its time of need. It is horrible that she was fined for being a kind caring human being. Police and court officials should be ashamed. And I think the veterinary clinic could’ve jumped through some hoops to get this poor homeless dog to the proper facility without getting the good Samaritan in trouble for her heartwarming charitable act of kindness.

DONNA McGARR

Mineral Ridg