Maine has a spay and neuter program called “Help Fix ME.” This program was started to decrease the number of unwanted animals in Maine.

A few years back, the fee to license a dog was increased by $1 to help fund this program. Also, the state charges pet food companies a distribution fee for pet food sold to retailers. This drives up the price that I have to pay for the food to feed my dog.

I call this fee a hidden tax.

The Help Fix ME program must be working because we are now ending up with empty cages in some dog kennels. I thought that was the way it was supposed to end up.

Some states in the south — including Georgia — do not have automatic spay and neuter programs and they now have many unwanted dogs. And, some of those dogs are being shipped to Maine to fill the empty cages here through programs like the Puppy Pipeline.

I feel that this is defeating what our state has been trying to accomplish, and that this is wasting people’s tax money. It could be put to better uses.

Clayton Weeks, Mexico