European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 17, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Animal Lover Nina Bart with a pot rat named Daisy i have this horrible responsibility  befriending abandoned animals Story and photo by Joseph Owen Stuttgart bureaus f the great flood Ever strikes again Nina Bertz will be ready to help Slock the Ark. Bertz and her family share an apartment in the Pattonville housing area near ludwigs Burg Germany with three dogs a Hare two rats live sparrows iwo parakeets and a turkish Dove. Her past boarders have included rabbits hedgehogs More than 200 Birds and As Many As nine dogs at a time. Erma Bombeck like other members of the Stuttgart military Community s friends of animals organization Bortz accumulates lots of Pels which other americans give away or abandon usually because the owners Don t want to take them Back to the United states. I have this horrible responsibility bit. Maybe it s because i m a nurse i Don t know Bertz said. The nine year old animal Protection group to which she belongs pursues Complex ambitious goals. Members educate the military Community about pet ownership responsibilities act As a placement service for people seeking Pels and keep a roster of Potsi Liers who care for Pels when their owners have to leave town according to club founder Patricia Moody. They also work to get pets removed from the Homos of abusive owners. We All have permits from the German authorities to respond to reports of animal neglect and cruelty Moody said. Abandoned Domestic animals become the organization s priority As summer approaches however. Summer is Defi Nilly the season not just with the americans but with the germans too. They go on vacation and leave the dog tied up to the autobahn Bridge. Then when they Corne Back they go to the shelter and get another dog Bertz said. Many friends of animals respond the Way Bertz does by taking in the strays. One woman in ludwigs Burg cares for about 60 rabbits and Guinea pigs another takes in crows and magpies. And Sigrid Ruckaberle president of the 37-member organization provides room and Board for 14 cats. Ruckaberle a German who works in the Nellinger Barracks sub Community commander s office said local americans who want to get rid of a pet can turn it Over to the Robinson Barracks veterinary clinic a German animal shelter or the friends of animals who always have a waiting list of people looking for new Pels. Despite those options americans reputation As pet owners is so bad that Many German animal shelters no longer Issue Pels to them friends of animals will but there Are strings attached. Members screen applicants and make follow up visits to Check on the pets welfare. Applicants must sign an adoption contract which says they will abide by animal Protection Laws and try to take their pets along when they leave Lor the United states. The group also charges a $15 fee before releasing a cat using the Money to have the cat neutered. The overpopulation of cats is probably the biggest animal problem in the world Moody said adding that Germany s 260 animal shelters take in about 160,000 cats annually. If you Don t go to the extremes we do if you just hand hem out at the door it s a Cycle that just keeps  Moody said the organization has found Homes for 700 to 800 animals since its inception but that record has an unpleasant flip Side. Members also confiscate about 30 abused pets each year in the Stuttgart area. In one Case they took a pekingese dog from a family who had bought it for 1,000 Maks $559. The Man even boasted to his neighbor when my dog does its business in the House i just kick it across the room,1" Moody said. And apparently the dog had been kicked because it had difficulty  Bertz said abuse reports almost always involve dogs or cats adding i think there s a tremendous amount of animal abuse which we never hear about mainly Small animals like Guinea pigs and  she said animal abuse or neglect often stems from owners unrealistic expectations of their pets or of their children. Many people give their children pets to teach them responsibility or to entertain them Bertz said but the animals suffer when the children Don t fulfil the obligations of pet ownership. I would not exp t a child to completely take care of an animal. They have a lot of other interests at that age she said. Interested persons can get More information about friends of animals by calling Ruckaberle at 0711 705178, calling Bertz at 07141 80116 or writing to Gumc friends of animals co Nellinger Esslinger military Community Community relations Apo 09061. Changing a baby s diaper has always excuse the expression ranked right up there with following a garbage truck Loo closely. It was t something a Mother refused to do but she did t put it on her resume either. Now an authority on children has suggested if a Mother hurries through the Job and treats it As a distasteful chore her attitude could Send a negative message to her baby. She says mothers Are foolish to waste All that valuable time when they could use it As an Opportunity to verbalize with their babies and involve them in the entire process. You should never scoop the baby up from behind without warning and Start to remove his diaper she says but should Greet him and say you Are having such a Good time with your rubber g Affe but i d like to pick you up and change you. Is that All right with you this should be followed by Eye Contact and More dialogue asking Lor the baby s Complete attention and the Mother s undying ecstasy throughout the process. I Don t care what anyone says about laying the foundation for a child s positive self image. Unless the kid can Roll up his own diaper and Hook shot it into a garbage can and put a lid on it i Don t see How we have anything to talk about. Besides it s a two Way Street. What s to prevent a kid from verbalizing Over a diaper change snap it up Frozen fingers and give me my rubber Giraffe Back or i m going to dilute the paint on your newly painted  there Are a couple of things wrong with this theory. Assuming a Mother talked herself into using this time As a Celebration of plumbing what happens when the kids meet other people no one loves a baby who makes your eyes water and kids belter get used to rejection. It is a lesson that is either Learned Early or haunts them when you threaten them with a Hole in their folding chair at graduation. Surprise is one of the Best things a Mother has going for her. Many s the Lime i be swooped Down on a child with a red face like a Bald Eagle and deposited him diaper and All on the bathroom throne just because he looked like he was going to make  for centuries mothers have carved a Niche for themselves As world class martyrs because of their Devotion to dry diapers. It is one of the few things we do that fathers Are awed by. Frankly i resent the fact that someone would think i could diaper babies All those years and not have some rapport with them. There was t a time when i did not lean Over and whisper in their Little ears you owe me big for this for the rest of your life. Wet again and the Giraffe  c 1987. Los Angeles times Syndicate Page 16 the stars and stripes wednesday june 17,1987