MADAM,
I would just like to say that I believe that some people should think about what they are making a joke about.
Over the past week, especially around school, I keep hearing people joking about foot and mouth disease and it is no joke. People don't seem to realise that to farmers foot and mouth is the end of the world.
I have heard what some farmers experienced in 1967 and how bad foot and mouth disease is. My Grandparents and some of my friends live on a farm and if their farms got foot and mouth disease it would be devastating.
One person even said, "Why don't they kill all the animals that could catch foot and mouth and then we'd eradicate it completely". If this happened, they might as well kill a few farmers at the same time, because the effect it would have on farmers, would probably cause some, to commit suicide. I know the person was joking but it really isn't funny.
Foot and mouth disease is one of the most feared diseases to all farmers, so it should be taken seriously. To farmers, having their prized cattle herd, or their little, adorable lambs slaughtered can be heartbreaking. To some farmers it would be like losing a pet or even a family member.
Before you make a joke about foot and mouth disease, please just think about the serious side of things, as I don't think it is anything to laugh about.
Lesley Campbell,
A year 10 pupil at Monmouth Comprehensive School