PLEASE HELP THE CITIZENS OF MICHIGAN FIGHT POUND SEIZURE
For Immediate Release
6-9-02

Sparing Our Pets Fate In St. Joseph County Will Not Hinder Medical
Research

Pound seizure is the sale & release of impounded pets to animal B
dealers
and research institutions. On August 15, 2000, St. Joseph County Board
of
Commissioners was presented with a petition signed by over 3,600
citizens
asking pound seizure practice stop. The board voted to continue selling
people's pets to research. Members of the Board postponed the vote on
this
issue until after the August primary election.

Shelters were not intended to be warehouses for research labs. The
animals
are already traumatized by ending up in a strange environment and
should not
have to endure more traumas by being turned into research tools. The
practice of selling pets to research has been banned in all but a few
areas.
Hundreds of doctors have signed petitions agreeing pound seizure is
unnecessary, unethical and detrimental to sound research.

Clearly the Citizens of St. Joseph County and their beloved pets do not
benefit from this practice. The lack of trust in an animal control
staff
that serves special interests rather than providing a shelter for lost
pets
means people will abandon their pets rather then subject them to
certain
suffering, resulting in more danger to children from strays. No one can
be
certain their beloved pet will never fall into the hands of
researchers.

A citizens group will hold a protest on July 14th at 1:00 at the corner
of
Broadway & 131 in Three Rivers, Michigan. The citizens of St. Joseph
and
their beloved pets deserve an animal control that is a safe haven and
not a
business partner to those who profit from the suffering of dogs.

What You Can Do:
Sample Letter: (Personal letters are suggested)

Dear :

I am asking that St. Joseph County Animal Control stop selling dogs for
research. These dogs are pets who were raised to be companions and not
a
tool for research.

Shelters were not intended to be warehouses for research labs. The
animals
are already traumatized by ending up in a strange environment and
should not
have to endure more traumas by being turned into research tools. By
Sparing
our pets this tragic fate, it will not hinder medical research.

The citizens of your county have asked this to stop; yet the county
board
members have ignored this. Personal reasons should not be the motive
for
allowing pound seizure to continue.

Sincerely,
(Full name and state)

Send to:

Please Contact:

Judy West, County Administrator
PO Box 277
Centreville, MI 49032
Phone: 616-467-5617
Fax: 616-467-5628

Gerald Loudenslager
23194 Van Resort Drive
Mendon, MI 49072
Home: 616-467-791
JerrLoud@aol.com

Lillian Carter
67339 Blue School Road
Constantine, MI 49042
Home: 616-435-7664

David Girton
21269 Fawn River Drive
Sturgis, MI 49091
Home and Business: 616-651-8941

Monte Bordner
68730 County Farm Road
Sturgis, MI 49091
Home and Business: 616-651-8353
bordnerm@net-link.net

The Courthouse address is:
125 W. Main
Centerville, MI 49032
Phone: 616-467-5661
Fax: 616-467-5628

Animal Control address is:
652 E. Main
Centerville, MI 49032
Phone: 616-467-6475
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In Defense of Animals (www.idausa.org) is an international,
California-based
animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the abuse and
exploitation
of animals by defending their rights, welfare and habitats.
IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS * 131 CAMINO ALTO, SUITE E * MILL VALLEY, CA
94941 *
415-388-9641

It is the policy of In Defense of Animals to no longer use language
that
accepts the current concept of animals as property, commodities and/or
things. Rather than refer to ourselves or others as "owners" of
animals, we
now refer to ourselves and others as "guardians" of our animal friends
and
to animals as "he" or "she" rather than "it." Guardians do not buy or
sell
animals; instead they rescue and adopt. We urge you, our members, to do
the
same.

End Of Alerts