I was embarrassed and saddened to read "Kaiserslautern shelter won’t house U.S. pets" (article, March 29, Europe edition) and learn that the Kaiserslautern Tierheim will no longer accept abandoned and unwanted pets from Americans.

That many Americans acquire pets in Germany and later abandon them when transferring or deploying is not unique to Kaiserslautern. There are many German animal shelters located near other U.S. installations that refuse to allow Americans to adopt due to the reputation Americans have for abandoning their pets.

What does this behavior say about American values and culture? I am reminded of a quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

Floyd Vernon ChandlerKaiserslautern, Germany