" Go, Emmett! "

" I agree with you, but the fact of the matter is.. I saw on 20/20 where these sort of "beggers in traffic", make hundreds of dollars in one day! Then were followed by hidden camera getting in to a Lincoln SUV in the parking lot of a near by store. I cant give them money, because its not what I beleave in, but I will buy that homless man at the 7-11 on Redwood a sandwich and a cup of joe every now and then. The dog is a mute point. It obviously loves her, or it would run away, plain and simple. "

" if you will notice the dog is not starving or under fed. I have personally given her food for the dog but will not give her money. She is able to work just chooses not to. The dog probably get more attention then most dogs locked in some ones back yard. The problem is we cater to homeless more than we should. That's why they are here. If they know the system they can eat and sleep for free. I can't do that. They are plenty of places that need to be cleaned up to earn their food. Make them earn it,. They always have money for booze. Stop giving to the lazy. "

" I haven't seen her out there for a few days, maybe she did get some help. "

" all of the people that are so concerned for that dog should do something a little more than sit and eat cookies and type nasty letters! go volenteer at the humane society or the shelter where the dogs are lying all day on the concrete floor with out a poor person to feed or pet them! at least that lady dosent just throw her dog to the way side when going gets tough. "

" I thought Conservatives were Christian folk. What about the story of the Good Samaritan? Did you give a turkey to the food bank? Did you buy a toy for the Toys for Tots program? Do you volunteer your time driving seniors to doctors' appointments?
Many people are three months away from being homeless, living month to month, and paying too much on their mortgage. Lose your job due to the recession and how long can you support your family?
Emmett: Your letter is heartless. At least we bleeding heart liberals know compassion and empathy. "Homeless by choice" You gotta be kidding! "

" The dogs at the shelter are fed just fine, but they certainly do appreciate the volunteer dog walkers who come out to keep them company. "

" IT IS A SORRY SITUATION FOR BOTH INVOLVED--I UNDERSTAND THAT WITHOUT RESIDENCE-PHONE-GOOD I.D. THE LADY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET A JOB--ANY JOB. MAYBE SHE JUST ISN'T INTERESTED--BUT--MY CONCERN IS FOR THE POOR LITTLE DOG--IF IT IS WITHOUT A LEASH ON THAT BUSY STREET--IT MIGHT GET RUN-OVER. IT IS A REALLY CUTE LITTLE DOG AND I'M SURE SOMEONE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT IN THEIR HOME--TOO BAD THE PERSON WON'T DONATE IT TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER--I HAVE TWO LITTLE ANIMAL SHELTER PUPPIES AND LOVE THEM SO MUCH-I WOULD ADOPT MORE IF I COULD AFFORD-- (IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE MONEY FOR FOOD--AS FOR THE VETERANARY CARE--BOY--IS THAT EXPENSIVE ! ! ! I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT SHE WILL LET SOMEONE ADOPT THE DOG--OR GET OFF THE CENTER DIVIDE WHERE THERE IS LESS FAST PACED TRAFFIC. "

" Mr. Griffin makes two bizarre assumptions: that the woman "is obviously homeless by choice" and that she chooses to "continue her obviously voluntary idleness". Without knowing the woman, her background or circumstances, how does Mr. Griffin draw this conclusion? Voodoo?

Few people choose to be homeless, particularly women. Sleeping night after night exposed to the elements and vulnerable to physical assault is a living situation that is endured, more often than not, by people who have severe mental illnesses.

Some suggest all homeless people should just "get a job". If a person lacks the reasoning power to even come in out of the rain and take advantage of basic homeless services due to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or other psychotic disorders, are they employable? Would you hire them? Due to the economic crisis, even treatment resources for these folks are drying up, let alone jobs.

By writing your letter, Mr. Griffin, you did your part, alright. You did your part to foster intolerance, ignorance and stereotyping.

If reserving judgment about other people's life circumstances and attempting to better understand their situation makes me a bleeding heart liberal, that's just fine with me. "

" aluzawanza, I think Emmett is being facetious. "

" Can you imagine the obstacles to getting a job and renting a home in Napa..Just a bath and clean clothes is a major hurdle to these folks to get past..and as for the little dog...It has the most important thing to a dog...a person of it's very own.All the time...It is not so difficult to imagine oneself in this same position with our economy what it is.Stop being so callous and righteous and lend a hand...and a heart. There are as many reasons for homelessness as there are homeless people and there but for fortune go you and I. "

" The friendship and understanding between the homeless woman and her dog is something some people will never understand. This dog might just be the only being she is capable of caring for (more than some dead beat moms and dads out there, I'd say) and for which she "feels" responsible for.

Your way to care for animals is not necessarily everybody else's way. Some people won't walk their dogs unless is on a leash, some won't ever put their dog on one, some feed their pets once or twice a day, some leave their bowls full of food out there all day for them to feed only when they're hungry, some neuter/spade them, some don't.

Leave the homeless woman and her dog alone, they seem to be doing "just fine". I'm sure she knows where the shelters and SPCA's are.

Stop acting as if you were God 'cause you ain't! "

" Does no one recognize satire when they see it? "

" Well... it's pretty plain that the Christmas spirit has dried up very early for some of Napa's biggest grinches.

~Ruff "

" It's easy to spot the people who have little or no real knowledge about homelessness in America.

They're the ones who believe we should assume the best about the lady with the dog. They're the ones who suggest that homeless people can live by a different standard of conduct in our culture. They're the ones who think that a homeless person should be able to endanger an animal, more than other citizens could, because it might be the only companion they have. They're the ones who always assume that people aren't "doing anything" to help the homeless if they object to certain irresponsible acts by homeless people (that is classically ignorant). They're the ones who believe that anyone who criticizes a homeless person has never been through tough times themselves (again, CLASSICALLY IGNORANT).

They're the ones who think they have all the compassion but who would otherwise see someone, say a non-homeless person, sued and sent to prison for harming one little hair on a "defenseless" animal.

You know who you are. "

" kdbk - Our "standard of culture" is only a "standard" as defined by our laws, not by someone's subjective opinion of how people should conduct themselves. People expressing compassion for the woman's (and the dog's) living situation aren't suggesting she should be exempt from the law, or that the law should apply differently to homeless people.

The woman may be breaking the law by not leashing the dog, by creating a traffic hazard by planting herself in the median strip, and by panhandling. If so, those issues should be addressed by the proper authorities.

The fact is that many people, homeless and otherwise, CAN and indeed do live by a "different standard of conduct" than you may deem acceptable. Their behaviors may rise to the level of "irresponsible acts" in your opinion. But short of breaking the law, they have the freedom to do so.

Lastly, your first sentence demonstrates an opinion that is not only arrogant, but patently inaccurate. "

" Buy the lady a leash and collar. Can't we problem solve here?? Do we have to have diatribes on society's ills instead? If you love the dog, help it out. It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness. "