I fully agree with the letter by S Shrestha that 'there is something wrong with our psyche that puts self-interest before common welfare' (Letters, #300). This is nowhere more obvious than within the neighbourhood as it deals with its stray dogs. Bricks and stones are regularly thrown at dogs simply to move them on to somebody else's street so that they become someone else's problem. The street dog problem is not insurmountable, but there is no evidence of people trying to find a logical solution or of talking things through with their neighbours in an intelligent manner, then acting collectively for the common good.

If, for example, everyone in a neighbourhood donated a small amount of cash there would be enough to have the female sterilised, which would over time gradually reduce thousands of stray dogs all over the city. It would take years but it would work. There is one organization having tremendous impact by doing just this, but it is not enough. Vets we have spoken to have said they would be willing and able to operate but they have nowhere for the dogs to recuperate. The situation could change if the will, determination and interest and care for one's community were present in all. Basic kennels cost little, and they don't take up much room. Once released onto the streets all these animals need is one good meal a day and the occasional stroke. They will repay such kindness with total loyalty and devotion.

The terrible cruelty we have witnesses towards dogs such as poisioning, kicking, beating with sledgehammer, brick throwing and even setting dogs alight is not only cruel and cowardly but offers no solution at all. How much better it would be to be proactive, intelligent, to work out with kind solution together and to be responsible-rather than to inflict suffering to pretend that it is somebody else's problem. Every individual on this earth has the power to do something however small to change things for the better and not just for themselves. Why not try?

Helen Palmer,
Kathmandu

. I agree Kunda Dixit ('Getting along like a house on fire', #301). The transformations parliament is making in the name of political decisions are both good and bad. Many would be good if they would be implemented. Others are just plain absurd. One wonders if the government is just making radical proclamations just to be radical, and if that is so there are a lot of logos to be changed. Now that we're secular how about changing NTV's logo as well?

S Awasthi,
email