As my husband and I were leaving the Sacramento County Animal Shelter yesterday, we noticed a policeman diligently scribbling out parking tickets. He was placing them on the windshields of the long line of cars parked along Bradshaw Road in front of the shelter to attend the fundraiser flea market, which was being held there to help save the county shelter. Judging from the enthusiastic turnout, I trust the shelter made a good profit, but talk about robbing Peter to pay Paul...  

Yes, these drivers were breaking the law. There was a small sign posted at the roadside that stated No Parking Any Time, but there was also no room left to park on the shelter grounds other than a lot way at the back, which most of the people didn't know about, and it was a very long walk for some elders and disabled people. Some signs pointing attendees to this additional parking would have been helpful to those cited for a parking violation.  

Seems like that policeman could have turned his head for just a few hours on a Saturday morning so that all the caring people who had come to support this shelter would not be penalized for doing so. Come on, now, fellas! Cut us eager shelter benefactors a little slack. We were there to support our beautiful new community shelter and the many animals that may be at risk if it falters. Of course, I suppose this was just one more way to take in money to ease Sacramento's budget woes. One only hopes that all the money collected from those parking violations will go toward preserving our animal shelter.