News-Record.com

Is the rallying cry for pet lovers in Guilford County ... sic 'em?
Sure seems that way at times.

Hell hath no fury like an animal advocacy group made rabid by a rival animal advocacy group.

Whether the target is No More Homeless Pets or the Guilford County Animal Shelter or the Humane Society or various other groups, watch out. The fur flies furiously and frequently.

The irony, of course, is that all these groups haven't worked more closely as a coalition to address pet overpopulation in Guilford County.

It'd be nice to see them uniting over a worthwhile cause such as stalled legislation in Raleigh for a pet food tax that would finance spay/neuter programs and help upgrade animal shelters. The bill would add a modest surcharge to canned and dry dog and cat food. If the Legislature ever acts on it.

Instead, pet lovers too often seem more content to claw and scratch at each other. Sometimes the issue lies in disagreements on how best to remedy a problem, such as feral cat colonies in Guilford County. Or whether a low-cost spay/neuter clinic will stem the tide of unwanted dogs and cats. Or whether the conditions at the county animal shelter are all they should be.

Sometimes it involves disputes over who deserves credit for a particular initiative. Or not.

I don't mean to disparage people whose passion is their animals. I'm a pet owner myself. But all this barking bites.