AR-News: MI "Shelter" To Change To Kill-Only----Sample Letter

Mon Oct 6 23:56:53 EDT 2003

PLEASE CROSS POST

Forwarded Message:

Subj: [AGA] Prevent Michigan Animal Shelter from Becoming "Kill Only"- Letter 

Date: 10/4/2003 11:59:40 PM Eastern Standard Time 
From: myREBAdog at att.net 
To: aga at lgal.org, S_T_O_P at yahoogroups.com 

From: "Diana Artemis" <artemisd123 at hotmail.com>
Subject: Prevent Michigan Animal Shelter from Becoming "Kill Only"

Please Help Prevent Muskegon County (Michigan) Animal Shelter from
Becoming "Kill Only" - Sample Letter Below

Please forward widely and write today.

Moderator's Note: In verifying the details of this alert, I received a reply 
from the Web Master of the Noah Project who writes:

Yes, this true. Muskegon's Animal Control Shelter has become a "kill only" 
operation as of 10/1/2003. Because of all the publicity, The Noah Project 
was able to reach a temporary agreement. The agreement is that Animal 
Control agrees to transfer any unclaimed dog to any licensed shelter. The 
Noah Project, along with other area shelters, will be pulling out as many 
dogs as possible, but will never be able to keep up. All unclaimed animals 
will still be euthanized by gas, not injection. We need all the help we can 
get.

Thank you for writing to us at the Noah Project.

The Website Administrator at: mylz2ryd at comcast.net (comcast.net)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

BACKGROUND: The local news station (WOODTV) just reported that the Muskegon 
County (Michigan) Animal Shelter will no longer have an adoption program of
any kind. From now on, animals will either be claimed by owners or
euthanized.

The director of the Health Dept. claims that this is so they can save
money. They needed to cut money out of their budget and decided to
take it all out of their shelter.

Rose, Director of the Noah Project at:
http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/rainbowpetrescue.html), has given
the Health Department a proposal that the shelter adoption program
continue using volunteers. She said that, as far as she knows, so far
only one person in the H.D. has taken the time to read her proposal.

Therefore, from now on, no matter how adoptable an animal may be,if
it ends up at the Muskegon County Animal shelter and if an owner does
not show up to collect it, it will be euthanized. How heartless is
this creep of a director at the Health Department, anyway?

While the WOODTV cameras were there, they revealed a couple of very
good looking larger dogs (white shepard, yellow lab?) and a fuzzy
little terrier mix who was trembling with terror. Guess they're
doomed now, thanks to Mr. Kraus.

SAMPLE LETTER: Remember to add your name and address and PLEASE change some 
of the words.
==========================================================================

Mr. Kenneth Kraus, MPA
Director, Muskegon County Health Department
209 E. Apple Ave.
Muskegon, MI 49442
krauske at co.muskegon.mi.us (co.muskegon.mi.us)

RE: Cruel and Backwards Policy of Euthanizing Animals without Opportunity 
for Adoption - Please Make the Temporary Arrangement with the Noah Project 
Permanent

Dear Mr. Kraus:

It is cruel and backwards, and bad public policy, to eliminate the option of 
adoption at the Muskegon County Animal Shelter. You teach your citizens that 
animals are pieces of disposable garbage or junk that can be dropped off for 
disposal and incineration.

In this day and age of enlightened public policy toward the care and 
treatment of sentient beings, and citizen responsibility for their care; 
there are felony animal abuse laws on the books in 2/3 of our states that 
punish those who abandon their pets. You should not cater to the 
irresponsible segment of Muskegon's population by becoming a killing 
facility, but instead engage in an aggressive public education campaign to 
educate potential pet guardians to the nature of lifetime commitment and 
responsibility.

I ask you to immediately re-institute adoptions at the Muskegon County 
Animal Shelter and make working with animal welfare organizations, such as 
the Noah Project to offer abandoned animals foster homes and medical care 
until they can be placed in permanent homes.

Please let the nation know that the citizens and officials of Muskegon 
County are modern, progressive and humane in the way they treat their most 
innocent and vulnerable residents, the animals.

Sincerely yours,

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