Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 045, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 7, 2010 Page: 5 of 10
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Life
Sweetwater Reporter
Thursday, January 7, 2010 ■ Page 5
Chamber Coffee at the Coliseum
V
&
CHAMBER
Annie s Mailbox
BY KATHY MITCHELL AND MARCY SUGAR
D _ e a r
Annie: Some
time ago, rela
tives from out
of town asked
to visit us
when they were here for a
nearby event. We agreed,
as we seldom get to see
these people. To our sur-
prise, they arrived with
the dog they had recently
rescued from the pound.
It was just a few months
old and not housebroken.
Worse, we were stuck
dog-sitting the evening
they went out.
Recently, we were at the
local market and a wom an
walked by with a small,
very hairy dog riding in
the cart. The assistant
manager informed us that
there are "comfort dogs,"
and people can take them
anywhere if they have the
right papers. A week later
at our corner cafe, we
noticed there was a dog
sitting in a chair at the
table next to us. We got
up and left.
I have nothing against
dogs, Annie, but isn't
there a proper place for
them? What are the rules
these days? — Puzzled in
California
Dear Puzzled:
Comfort animals
are not the same as
trained service ani-
mals for the disabled
and do not have the
same legal protec-
tions, although some
courts have given
certain protections
to doctor-prescribed
emotion at-support
animals. Most laws
regarding comfort
animals involve fair
housing practices and
transporting animals
on airplanes. There
are no specific federal
legal protections (yet)
allowing comfort ani-
mals to sit at restau-
rant tables or in gro-
cer^ carts. As for your
visiting friends, make
sure you inform them
next time that their
dog will have to stay
elsewhere.
Dear Annie: My
24-year-old daughter is
living with me because she
cannot afford to live on
her own with three baby
boys. She could receive
help from the government
but chooses not to apply
for assistance. She says it
is embarrassing.
She does have a job,
but gets no help from the
fathers of the children
(two different men). The
problem is, this situation
is not helping my mar-
riage. My husband has
been very patient with
his stepdaughter and
helps out, but ne does not
have any patience when it
comes to her making the
same mistake over and
over — having a child out
of wedlock or when she's
not in a committed rela-
tionship.
How do I get my daugh-
ter to be more respon-
sible and move out of my
house? I love her and my
grandchildren and have
been helping them for
four years, but I am tired
and want my life back. —
Mother With No Life
Dear Mother: As
long as you are tak-
ing care of her, your
daughter sees no point
in getting help from
the government or
the children's fathers.
There are no financial
consequences for her
poor decisions. She
won't become more
responsible until she
is forced to. Tell her
to apply immediately
for government assis-
tance and file the
necessary papers for
child support, because
you want her to move
out within three
months and she will
need the money. Help
her by babysitting for
the kids on occasion
or buying her some
household necessities,
but stop enabling her
manipulative, imma-
ture behavior.
Dear Annie: I work as
a consultant in the health
insurance industry. One
thing you didn't mention
to "Cannot Take Back the
Spoken Word" is that the
blabbermouth working
in the clinic is in viola-
tion of federal regulations
and federal law from the
Department of Health
and Human Services
(HHS), under the Health
Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) privacy rules.
Both the "gossip girl"
and the clinic may be lia-
ble for federal penalties.
For more information and
instructions on how to file
complaints, readers can
check the HHS website at
hhs.gov/ocr/privacy. — R
Annie's Mailbox is writ-
ten by Kathy Mitchell
and Marcy Sugar, long-
time editors of the Ann
Landers column. Please
e-mail your questions to
anniesmailbox@comcast.
net, or write to: Annie's
Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190,
Chicago, LL 60611. To find
out more about Annie's
Mailbox, and read fea-
tures by other Creators
Syndicate writers and
cartoonists, visit the
Creators Syndicate Web
page at www.creators.
com.
K
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Sweetwater Reporter (Sweetwater, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 045, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 7, 2010, newspaper, January 7, 2010; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth229059/m1/5/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library.