Don’t buy pets from the market

readers call for closure of Sharjah's animal market. Other topics: Emirati martyrs, Indian railways, Dubai greenery, French laws

Readers call for closure of the animal market in Sharjah. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

Referring to the news report Animal market in Sharjah faces welfare complaint (August 8), how is this place still operating? It has been like this for years. Whenever anyone loses an animal, we always recommend they check in there, because so many stolen animals end up for sale at this place. It's about time it's shut down. People need to boycott it.

Stop buying animals and adopt one of the many hundreds of homeless ones.

Emma Schlegel, Dubai

Despite so many complaints, the market does brisk business. A lot of sick animals are found in this market. This is not acceptable. It has to change. We don’t need pet markets in this country when shelters are full of pedigree pets that people have abandoned. We need to respect animals.

Nathalie Grall-Sorensen, Dubai

I am glad that this issue is finally getting some attention, even though the situation is way worse than what one can make out from the description.

Nada Kumbarji, Dubai

Soldiers who laid down their lives are heroes

The Emirati soldiers who have lost their lives while on the mission to restore peace in Yemen are an inspiration to others (Three more heroes give their lives for Yemen, August 8). They are real heroes, because they have sacrificed their lives for a peaceful and better future. They will continue to live on in the hearts of the nation for their bravery.

Fatima Suhail, Sharjah

Indian railways need a boost

The death toll from the train accident in India could be much higher than reported (At least 27 dead after floods derail two trains in India, August 7). Rarely have so few people died when a train accident occurred. In this case, two trains are involved.

This particular tragedy may have been the result of floods as has been reported, but when will the country upgrade its railway infrastructure? All the promises seem to be hollow. With many states struggling to cope with heavy monsoon rains, the authorities should have realised the risk and taken precautions. The fact that this did not happen shows utter callousness and lack of accountability.

Sukumar S, Sharjah

No reason for Zen to be barren

It's not just the Zen Cluster at Discovery Gardens that is barren (Residents demand action as garden turns to desert, August 8). Clusters in Mogul, too, are badly affected with all of the lawns dried up. Quite a few Gulmohar trees in that area have died because they have not been watered for more than a year.

Jim Lloyds, Dubai

The UAE has an amazing irrigation system, which helps plants to thrive. It’s a pity that the Zen Cluster has become a desert.

Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi

France has right to enact any law

Regarding the opinion article In the summer silly season, facts cover even less than a bikini (August 8), France has the right to enact whatever laws it wants so long as it respects international laws and avoids racism.

As to those who say if you do not like it leave France, this is simple racism because the people being asked to leave are citizens of France and they have the right to live there just like anybody else. Let us not use freedom of speech to mask racism.

Abdelhamid Attalla, Egypt

Let’s make this perfectly clear: France has its own rights, granted by its territorial sovereignty to impose any sort of law that it wants.

Valeriu Stanciu-Crainic, Abu Dhabi

The opinion seems to be short sighted. I arrived in France a week ago and nowhere did anyone speak about this. The hatred the writer describes is perhaps mostly in her own mind.

Benoit Rochegude, France