Readers sound off on guinea pigs, NYC’s energy transition and a young Trump – New York Daily News

Rockville, Md.: Re “Amid guinea pig glut, pols say you can’t sell ‘em” (April 12): By ending the sale of guinea pigs in pet stores, New York City will protect countless animals from extreme suffering. Guinea pigs, like virtually all animals sold in pet stores, come from animal mills where hundreds or even thousands of animals are bred in unsanitary, crowded conditions without adequate veterinary care.

Mills produce as many animals as cheaply as possible before shipping them off in crates and boxes to pet stores. Dead animals are seen as the cost of doing business rather than the tragic loss of individual life. U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors visiting mills have documented cannibalization, ill and injured animals being ignored and animals without food and water.

Sun Pet Ltd., a massive animal dealer housing more than 12,000 animals that has supplied guinea pigs to Petco and PetSmart, was cited by the USDA in 2021 for inadequate veterinary care, poor sanitation and lack of accessible water, among other violations. The inspector reported 22 hamster enclosures had cannibalism occurring in them, including one incidence of active cannibalism.

Thank you to Voters for Animal Rights for their tireless work on this bill. Following the law passed last year in Washington, D.C., banning the retail sale of almost all animals, I hope New York City’s new law puts the pet industry on notice that this kind of cruelty cannot continue. Liz Cabrera Holtz, wildlife campaign manager, World Animal Protection U.S.

East Elmhurst: Kars4Kids? What kids? They have been singing that haunting refrain for 20-25 years. There have never been any accomplishments listed on TV or radio. All day on the radio, the amount of advertising is excessive. There is no audited financial statement available. Numerous organizations advertise for them. Let’s see some information about where the donations go! Alida E. Davis

Penticton, British Columbia: “Have Gun — Will Travel” was a TV series. Contemplating a visit to the U.S.? Land of the free! Bring gun — AR-15 — can travel. Advisory: Do not bring schoolchildren! Joe Schwarz

Jamaica: To Voicer Bob Pascarella: Please don’t give anyone advice on the Bible. Just to let you know, the books of Matthew and Revelation are both in the New Testament. You, who believes everything that Donald Trump does and says. Well, at least you tried. God bless you! Charlene Black

Roosevelt, L.I.: Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams, thank you for 22 years of outstanding service. Thank you for moving forward and making a difference in our community for decades with the spirit of excellence. You will be greatly missed. I am deeply concerned about the racist redistricting process purposely designed to destroy Black political power in Nassau County. This is unacceptable and must be challenged in court. Minority residents make up 47% of America’s largest township, the Town of Hempstead, in Nassau. Yet racist redistricting has purposely weakened the power of the minority vote. I believe that the disciples of racist redistricting targeted you, Legislator Abrahams, and now it is up to the community to do something about it. Arthur L. Mackey Jr.

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North Massapequa, L.I.: Does anyone else remember when Mayor Adams went on TV to announce that NYC is a sanctuary city and all who wanted to come would be welcome? He even met the buses at Port Authority. After these illegal immigrants came, costing NYC at least $2 billion so far, which the city says it doesn’t have, the mayor is now demanding that the feds kick in. I wish I could go on a spending spree and have the city or feds pay for it, just like the incompetent mayor. Last one out of the city, turn off the lights. Steven Malichek

Brooklyn: Mayor Adams is proposing to trigger a climate tech boom for New York, with planned climate innovation hubs that will boost economic development — investment and jobs — both by encouraging local startups and luring firms from elsewhere. Boosting battery power and manufacturing technology for the offshore wind industry would be an obvious win for New York. Empire 1 Wind is set to plug into Brooklyn and supply Brooklynites with power by 2025, while Beacon Wind will serve Queens residents, repowering Astoria’s asthma alley. With a commitment to 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind to replace fracked gas, Gov. Hochul must get new wind farms into development as fast as possible, and with President Biden’s support, grant permits swiftly to reduce our reliance on unacceptable fossil fuels. Ella Ryan

Long Island City: Two different sites on Staten Island are already in offshore wind developers’ sights for major job-creating hubs. Arthur Kill Terminal and the Staten Island Marine Terminal (formerly known as Kinder Morgan) could be giving up their liquified natural gas and oil industry pasts to become state-of-the-art staging and assembly works for New York’s growing offshore wind presence. Now, a Global Wind Organization-certified training program, TMI Waterfront, is set to join the College of Staten Island’s offshore wind education program to train turbine workers, preparing Staten Islanders and all New Yorkers for the new job opportunities. Building offshore wind as quickly as possible is essential to meeting the city’s electrification needs as the All-Electric Building Act brings more electric heating and cooling. Decarbonizing New York must be our priority to reduce both local and climate pollution. Grace Mok

Charlotte, N.C.: I would have dismissed the article “Cybersecurity and abortion access” (op-ed, April 21) as mere pro-choice hyperbole but for the fact that several states have already passed or are considering “vigilante abortion laws” by criminalizing helping a woman obtain an abortion. The image of technology being used to hunt down and prosecute women already going through a major life trauma should send chills down the spines of Americans. That it doesn’t faze Republicans and conservatives is concerning. Women are not merely incubators for male sperm. Barbara Haynes

New City, N.Y.: I so agree with Voicer Bernard O’Brian’s letter about giving patients the right to end their life. I was a hospice volunteer for 36 years, and also sat vigil next to a dying patient. No dignity at all. Veterinary medicine is much kinder to terminal pets. With the safeguards in place for abuse, please let us have the same bill as New Jersey has. That’s what I would want for my family and myself — the right to choose. There have been many studies showing that even with the medication close by, many patients choose not to end their lives. It’s all about the lack of control over your illness and the way you want to exit. It should be our choice. Evelyn Ringel

Copiague Harbor, L.I.: As an ex-Daily News deliverer in Queens when I was young, and later assisting my son in his deliveries, I read on the front page of the paper about Donald Trump saying he likes to grab women by the p**sy. After hearing and reading about the comment for the past few years, I would like to tell you about an occasion years ago. I went out with my ex-partners in the police department to a popular club in Manhattan. Trump was there. He was a rich, good-looking gentleman in the company of two other men. My pals and I observed the way beautiful women would go up to him to dance. They started grinding their pelvises into his legs or above. So when he said he grabbed them below, he should have said he had to push them away. My pals and I were envious. Just a story of what can happen in a nightclub in Manhattan. Angelo Sollecito

Old Bridge, N.J.: Thank you to Voicer Sam Katz. I spent a lot of time trying to respond to the letter sent by Voicer Gregory J. Topliff and couldn’t decide on the right words to express my anger that people still refuse to see the former president and his family and supporters for their glaring inadequacies. Your letter is perfect! Janet Cecin