THE story at the front of last week’s Chron about the lovely Dutch Shepherd dog, Maisie, broke my heart. What prats adopt a young, nervous rescue dog, knowing they’d have to work with her but instead give her up as a bad job and decided to bury the problem – literally.

Luckily she was reprieved. Shame on them because they were obliged to give her back to BARC if they didn’t want her but instead slyly tried to put a young, healthy dog down at the vets.

They should never be allowed to adopt another animal again. I speak as the owner of many rescue animals. Every time, to various degrees, I’ve thought ‘what have I done?’ It’s a big undertaking to adopt an animal and you should only do it if you’re ready to put the effort in – and every time it’s been worth it.

I hope young Maisie finds a good home with kind people because that breed is a beautiful, loyal, intelligent one and she deserves better luck – and people - than she’s had so far.

I am beyond made up that two lovely people were honoured in the New Year’s Honours list this year: Sue Thiedeman who was a wonderful asset to the Kes Group when we were battling to get the Barry Hines memorial sculpture erected in town.

In fact, I’m not sure we would have succeeded had it not been for Sue. And my dear friend and great talent Graham Ibbeson, sculptor extraordinaire.

There are people on the honours lists every year who do nothing other than their jobs, or know someone in high places because there is little to separate them from the crowd. God knows what Nick Clegg did to once get a knighthood other than to lie to every student in the UK and bask in the slick of oil that David Cameron left in his wake – and as for Sadiq Khan this year… every Londoner I know is scratching their heads.

So it is sublime to see the honours system actually being used for what it should be: exalting those who really should get a gong. Graham is the type who would have turned it down because he genuinely can’t understand why he was even nominated. I could kick that humility out of him because it has no place being there. I am only disappointed that it has taken so long and isn’t higher because he deserves it more than anyone I can currently bring to mind. Delighted for you both.

I have to agree with R Ward of Darton who sent in the letter about Dan Jarvis last week and in particular the tone of his new year message.

I have the utmost respect for Dan, but like R Ward I’m afraid that I am at a loss to see how we are ‘emerging from the darkness of previous years’. Personally I feel as if all the bleedin’ lights have been switched off.

They probably have been, because no one can afford to put them on. I too cannot call anyone who rails against the lies we were spun, the deceptions we were served as ‘doom-mongering’ and ‘naysaying’.

It is one thing to attempt to inspire hope but don’t lessen the effect by insinuating that the electorate are ungrateful for all the efforts that Labour have made to improve things. Eh? Name one. It is not contributing criticism to be rightfully angry and reactive to the scattergunning penalties on pensioners, small business owners, farmers, the ordinary working man and any effort he has made to improve his financial security. Read the room, Dan. Read the room.

There is a lovely little fluffy black(ish) cat called Margo who went missing in Dodworth a couple of months ago and her owners are going out of their heads not knowing her whereabouts.

I’ve been there with a lost cat and it’s awful so please if anyone has seen her, knows about her, has taken her in, please can they let the Chron office know.