Fifty years ago, one small step for a man "and we're gonna leave the boys on the moon there, because they're racing at Kyneton".

I have sent a letter to the council about this but wish to gauge the feelings of the rest of the community.

I made a complaint about the restriction on walking our dogs off-leash at the Mansfield Reserve in East Bowral, supposedly because of the presence of koalas.

I have been there hundreds of time and the next koala I see will be the first one I see.

If they are indeed around, they must move at night and sleep in the tree canopy in the day.

In four years I have seen one wallaby from far far away, two wombats rendered blind by mange, which is why they were out in the daytime, one fox, tons of birds, and millions of rabbits.

These rabbits, while a pest, I don't wish harmed by dogs either. However, they are at absolutely no risk of being caught since they have myriads of shelters in the fern. Dogs chase them, have a great time, and they are never hurt.

There are few such places where dogs can exercise fully, in relative safety, and without having to face possibly nasty dog interactions such as we get in dog parks.

We are already kept from walking them in National Parks even on a leash, in reserves off-leash and Mittagong was given a pitifully small segment of Alexandra Square as a leash-free area.

What is next? Dog owners are tax and rate payers like everyone else.

I read, with with mixed emotions, your article 'Cat dilemma" in the July 19 edition of the Southern Highland News.

1- I was impressed and grateful for the wonderful work of staff and volunteers at the animal shelter. I was impressed with their commitment to limited euthansia and their efforts to nurture and love the animals in their care.

2 - I am heart broken that there are so many feral cats in society, many of which end up in the shelter and are unable to be saved. Surely this feral cat situation is a result of people who don't care - people who have dumped or neglected cats in the past resulting in a growing number of animals that become feral, are not socialised or are unable to be tamed to a point where they or their offspring will make a good pet.

This situation is not the fault of the animal. It is the fault of people in society who have, at some point, not taken proper responsibility for animal ownership.

Owning a pet is a long time commitment. It is not good enough to purchase an animal when they are young, only to cast them aside when they grow up. My experience with every animal I have ever owned - and there have been many - is that they may grow up but they are always cute, cuddly and loveable. Most importantly they offer unwavering devotion to their owner. It's a pity some humans don't have the same endearing and committed qualities.

Chronic pain - pain that doesn't go away after the injury or illness has resolved and lasts at least three months - is arguably Australia and the world's fastest growing medical condition and is a significant issue affecting Australians.

Living with ongoing pain can lead to feelings of hopelessness and can all too often lead to isolation, mental health issues and a declining ability to effectively manage pain - an extremely vicious and heart-breaking cycle.

Pain is often invisible and people face the additional burden of not being believed.

National Pain Week (July 22-28, 2019) is an annual initiative of Chronic Pain Australia, the voice of Australians living in chronic pain.

It aims to destigmatise the experiences of people living with chronic pain and provide an outlet to share their stories and experiences with the wider community.

This year's theme is 'Equal Partners in my healthcare' to highlight the need for people with chronic pain to be included in the decisions and policies that affect their lives.

During National Pain Week, people living with chronic pain are encouraged to share their experiences and ideas on the (https://chronicpainaustralia.org.au/forum) or on social media using the hashtags #NPW2019, #nationalpainweek, #equalpartnersinhealthcare.

We appreciate your support.

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