On Sept. 16, Dave White, CBC’s Airplay radio host, interviewed Humane Society Yukon founder Andrea Lemphers. Since I missed this interview, I called the CBC out of concern that my name was mentioned by Mrs. Lemphers, and the names of two other “animal rights activists”, without the CBC making any attempt to contact any of us to hear our side.

Finally, I did eventually find the story link and listened to the sound clip. Lemphers did indeed mention my name, and the names of Terry Cumming (“who doesn’t live here”) and Star letter writer Kathryn McCartney, who lives in B.C. Lemphers accused us of making “personal attacks” on an ex-president of the society.

The Airplay web page story is titled “Founder of Yukon Humane Society not pleased”. The story description reads, “Andrea Lemphers was one of the people that helped get the Yukon Humane Society off the ground, and one of the staunchest advocates for animals in the territory.

“But she says some very vocal animal rights activists are doing more harm than good.” It’s interesting that Lemphers is described by CBC as an “advocate”, and we are called “activists”. Here is the interview: http://www.cbc.ca/airplay/2010/09/founder-of-yukon-humane-societynot-pleased.html

What White should have known, and failed to question Lemphers on, was her being criticized for her repeated refusal to go public with her views about the Yukon dog mushing industry and the Yukon Quest.

The highlight of the interview was Lemphers expressing the desire that more “well-balanced dogs” should be taken into the shelter. (apparently mangy curs like Hunter and Trevor are not worth a second thought in Lemphers’ mind). It’s fair to add that the news on Trevor and Hunter first went public thanks to the Whitehorse Star letters to the editor section from yours truly.

Terry had also previously e-mailed the CBC about why the story about a Yukon farmer being convicted of uttering threats against me was not posted on the CBC North news website, although the poorly reported story was a news headline on CBC radio in Whitehorse. He received a reply from the CBC saying it covers many stories every day, and that this one did not make the cut.

I am willing to bet that if it was me who was the one making threats against the farmer, the CBC would have had it on The National with Peter Mansbridge, and possibly the Fifth Estate.

Although few people speak up in public, I know that many Yukon people care about animals. They are entitled to hear the whole story to form their own opinions about the welfare of animals, whether they have ties to the Humane Society Yukon or not.

For the animals….

Mike Grieco,Whitehorse