Wrong Number To the Editor, I was absolutely stunned to read the article on the teleservices industry in Tucson ("Labor's Day," August 28), and would like to correct a most glaring error contained therein. I was not fired by Teletech Teleservices, as stated in the first two columns and pull-quote of the article. (I'm sure Teletech will be only too happy to verify this, if they have not done so already.) As discussed in a two-hour interview in April of this year, I resigned from Teletech in April. The anecdote you printed (in which I was fired shortly before Christmas) actually took place at my first teleservices job, more than three years ago. I believe this was made clear in the interview. While the remainder of the article was essentially correct, your careless error definitely raises the question of its credibility. I am deeply disappointed by this, because you had the opportunity to shed some light on the exploitation of workers in the teleservices industry, and you blew it by failing to check your own notes or listen more closely to the recording of our conversation prior to allowing the article to go to print. I know it's supposed to be the thought that counts, but it doesn't look like a whole lot of thinking went into the makeup of this article. I find it very ironic that the Tucson Weekly misses no opportunity to attack other members of the media for their errors and journalistic weaknesses, then turns around and performs its own amazing feats of shoddy journalism. I'd tell you to cancel my subscription, but since you are a free paper, I guess I'll just chalk this one up to getting what you pay for. Thanks for the experience. --Marina Waldrip Editor's Note: This error was made by managing editor Dan Huff, not by the piece's author. Huff apologizes for the brain fart. Puppy Love To the Editor, At least there's one corner of Tucson where leashless dogs roam. Tim Vanderpool's "Doggie Stylin' " (Tucson Weekly, August 21), about people liberating their dogs for a run in Himmel Park, captured the air of adventure there. Coincidentally, only the day before reading the article, I savored my first look at these canine meeting grounds. What a joy to see dogs frolicking freely--particularly after watching the beautiful dog-next-door get hounded out of the neighborhood for her roaming heart. Chiquita, a medium-sized mixed breed, won the affection of many in our neighborhood fringing downtown Tucson. Maybe it was her coyote blood (I'm convinced she had some), but she always managed to find a way through the fence that hemmed her in. She would wander from house to house, collecting affection along with food, drawing neighbors together. We cooperated with her family to get her spayed following her last batch of puppies. Her own people were accustomed to Mexico, where dogs are allowed to explore the neighborhood without towing behind a human on a string. Even horses sometimes wander down the rural calles on their own, while freewheeling chickens are commonplace. On this side of the border, though, we prefer to see our animals in cages. (Of course, we sometimes call them yards.) Dogs are not allowed to exist here in Tucson unless they're either locked up or straining on the end of a rope. Violators often get the death penalty. A total of 7,902 dogs died at the hands of Pima County Animal Control in the fiscal year ending June 30, according to facility information officer Judy Burns. That's more than half the dogs brought to the "shelter." And we can't blame fear of rabies for the slaughter--Animal Control hasn't found a dog with rabies since 1982, Burns said. Chiquita, though, managed to evade the dogcatchers. So they concentrated on punishing her people instead. Animal control officers would stop by several times a week to issue tickets. When the fines began to near $200, Chiquita's family decided to give her away. Many of us miss her company, and the modicum of freedom her presence represented. Cheers to those outlaws at Himmel Park who recognize the free spirits in their dogs. --Melanie Lenart To the Editor, Tim Vanderpool's "Doggie Stylin' " (Tucson Weekly, August 21) was relatively well-balanced. Some points bear emphasizing however: First of all, there is no place in Pima County where dogs may run free. The dog lovers at Himmel Park are breaking the law only because they feel they have no other choice. We believe that no dog should be required to live its entire life at the end of a leash. Because we love our dogs, we want them to be able to socialize and run with other dogs. Second, dog poop is no more prevalent at Himmel Park than at any other park. Although there has been no scientific poll, I am willing to bet that the dog owners at Himmel Park are far better about picking up after their dogs than the average dog owner at the end of a leash. We are aware that we depend on the good will of other park users, and we police each other. I, and many others, often pick up after dogs we don't even know. We want our dogs to have a clean environment, and we hate stepping in it too. Third, given its limited resources, Animal Control should spend its time on issues of real importance: non-vaccinated, non-licensed, abused, and/or stray animals and animal population control. Fourth, though dogs are animals and therefore unpredictable, dog bites have not been a problem. Dogs at Himmel Park are far more interested in other dogs than they are in people. As a matter of fact, dogs which are well-socialized (such as those at the park) are far less likely to bite other people or dogs than are dogs which are confined to backyards. Most dog bites occur when dogs bite members of their own families. Because we love our dogs, we train them. And we are willing to teach others, especially children, how to behave around dogs so that they won't get bitten. And finally, we do assume responsibility for our dogs' behavior, including any possible aggression, noise, or destruction. We acknowledge and advocate laws which promote individual responsibility. I realize that there are some, including some members of the City Council, who may not agree with the above arguments. Some people might not want to have dogs in public areas at all. To this I say: Give us our own space. Then our dogs will be able to play without bothering anyone else. --Lauren Murata We Want Letters! Thrilled by our brilliant insights? Sick of our mean-spirited attacks? Need to make something perfectly clear? Write: tucsonweekly@tucsonweekly.com

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