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Letter to the Editor: Eleanor Rentz and Eliza Migdal on a Puppy for Grandpa Thorp in Stoneleigh


To the Editor:


Jun. 17, 2015:  As the grandchildren of Peter and Schatze Thorp, we believe our grandparents and other residents of Stoneleigh would benefit from having a pet.

There is a lot of evidence about how pets can help mental and physical health for people of all ages. Studies have shown that dogs can be therapeutic and even increase longevity along with helping seniors live more fulfilled and active lives.

Dogs have many benefits for young families as well. Families who own pets while their children are young have lower chances of developing allergies and asthma.

According to Nadine Kaslow, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, dogs help people come out of social isolation. Dogs help de-stress and reduce blood pressure and chances of heart attacks.

They also help raise dopamine and serotonin levels, according to Blair Justice, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health. Dogs can help detect cancer and low blood sugar, and they can assist you during seizures and detect allergens. Dogs also aid rehabilitation.

Our grandparents, and all Stoneleigh residents, own their apartments. Gram and Grandfather expect to be at Stoneleigh for the rest of their lives, as they love it here. We think it would greatly improve the quality of their lives and increase their longevity if they could have a small dog.

Small dogs of 25 to 30 pounds do not cause much noise or damage to apartments. We also believe this policy could be extended to cats, as they have similar therapeutic benefits.

According to our research, Stoneleigh is one of the few buildings in Westchester County that doesn't allow dogs.

With all this in mind, please consider allowing dogs and other small pets to live with residents at Stoneleigh Apartments. They will thank you, and the building will become a much happier place.

Eleanor Rentz and Eliza Migdal
Granddaughters of Peter and Schatze Thorp
June 11, 2015

Editor's note:  MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.

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