LI Game Farm and helping people with disabilities
Bobo the giraffe, a "beloved" animal at the Long Island Game Farm in Manorville, died Oct. 2, of heart failure. Credit: Long Island Game Farm
LI Game Farm offers us an education
I agree that animals are best left in their native habitats, but there are valid reasons why some may be kept in zoos and wildlife parks [“Giraffe was denied what he needed most,” Letters, Oct. 10].
Bobo the giraffe was not mistreated. As a regular patron of the Long Island Game Farm, I have never seen any animals in distress, malnourished or mishandled. This small zoo is immaculate, and they are family-friendly, often bustling with families and student trips.
Many visitors may be unable to travel to the Bronx Zoo and see live bison, zebras, tortoises or giraffes. The animals are not there for “entertainment” but more for education — they are not part of a circus.
The animals there receive regular veterinary care and, contrary to what the reader wrote, Bobo was not alone when he died. A staff member was giving him his morning meal when Bobo collapsed from apparent sudden heart failure, which happens to young human athletes on rare occasions, too.
— Andrea Smernoff, Hempstead
Agency helps those with disabilities
The article on available help for those with disabilities did not include the New York State vocational rehabilitation agency, ACCES-VR, which has been serving individuals living with mental, emotional and physical disabilities for more than 75 years [“Career path: DIY,” LI Business, Oct. 15].
Staffed by professional master’s level counselors who have been specifically trained for this field, ACCES-VR provides employment-related skills training and counseling, helping provide confidence and interpersonal skills so individuals feel safe enough to take on risks with new employment tasks. It is often the first step in accessing other services under ACCES-VR sponsorship.
I hope that eligible people who seek ACCES-VR services will explore with a professional vocational rehabilitation counselor those services that might be available to them.
— Stan Feinberg, Wantagh
The writer retired as director of counseling for Suffolk County ACCES-VR.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN OUR DAILY CONVERSATION. Email your opinion on the issues of the day to letters@newsday.com. Submissions should be no more than 200 words. Please provide your full name, hometown, phone numbers and any relevant expertise or affiliation. Include the headline and date of the article you are responding to. Letters become the property of Newsday and are edited for all media. Due to volume, readers are limited to one letter in print every 45 days. Published letters reflect the ratio received on each topic.
