Sir - I agree with Andrew Brown ("This is detracting from animal welfare work", Worcester News, July 17th) that Jon Burgess does appear to "spend his life contriving his next attack on the institutions and organisations of animal welfare".

In fact, I often wonder if Mr Burgess may at some time have been bitten by a badger, crushed by a cow or savaged by a sheep, such is his apparent hatred of other animals and those good people who wish to protect them.

In his letter in the same edition ("Why do we have all this food fascism?") he falsely accuses me of implying that "genuine animal welfare charities in this country are euthanising up to ninety percent of the animals in their care" when I actually stated that many animal shelters here were being left with no alternative to euthanasia, due to being overwhelmed by "unwanted"

animals, with the solution being for the public to obtain animals only from rescues and to get their dogs and cats neutered or spayed.

It may be that certain wealthy organisations, both here and in the USA, could afford to euthanise fewer animals, but the fundamental cause of the problem is deliberate and negligent overbreeding and that is what we need to tackle if it is ever to be solved.

Jon Burgess accuses veganism of bringing on "a form of confrontational food fascism", when surely it is the meat industry that is more reminiscent of Nazism, with huge numbers of animals being reared in factory farms and then crammed into lorries for transportation to cruel slaughter.

Far from being "confrontational", Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies is a friendly, educational organisation, which seeks to help and advise those people who are interested in adopting a more humane diet and lifestyle.

Anyone interested in going vegan, vegetarian or in reducing their consumption of animal products can contact us at info@worcsveg.org.uk via our website at www.worcsveg.org.uk or on 07703 558724.

Ronald Lee

Communications Officer

Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies