TRUTHS FROM RDOWS

RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS OF THE WESTERN STATES
P.O. Box 1406 Newport, WA 99156
Web Site http://www.povn.com/rdows E-mail US rdows@povn.com
Blog http://rdows.wordpress.com E-mail List http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rdows

Cherie Graves, Chairwoman, WA, (509) 447-2821
Judy Schreiber, Assistant to the Chair,
Director at Large, rdowsdirectoratlarge@chevalier-bullterriers.com
Elizabeth Pensgard, Executive Secretary, Illinois Director, bpensgard@yahoo.com
Hermine Stover, Media Liaison, Director at Large, CA, hermine@endangeredspecies.com
Mary Schaeffer, Finance Director, finedogs@hotmail.com
Arizona Director, John Bowen, johnalldogs@sprintmail.com
California Director, Jan Dykema, bestuvall@sbcglobal.net
Indiana Director, Charles Coffman, candkcoffman@comcast.net
Iowa Director, Leisa Boysen, rdows_iowa@yahoo.com
Mississippi Director, Dan Crutchfield, farmer1@telepak.net
Nevada Director, Ken Sondej, 4winds@viawest.net
Tennessee Director, Gina Cotton, ginacotton@msn.com
Texas Director, Alvin Crow, crobx@austin.rr.com

To:

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner
Councilman Phillip Copeland
Councilman Joe McNamara
Councilman George Sarantou
Councilwoman Betty Shultz
Councilman Mark Sobczak
Councilman Frank J. Szollosi
Councilwoman Wilma Brown
Councilman D. Michael Collins
Councilman Mike Craig
Councilman Michael D. Ashford
Councilman Tom Waniewski
Councilwoman Lindsay M. Webb

Dear Mayor Finkbeiner and esteemed members of the Toledo City Council:

It was disappointing to hear that the city of Toledo is considering a breed-specific mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for impounded “pit bulls” particularly because “pit bull” is not a breed recognized by any breed registry like the AKC, UKC, or ADBA. Indeed, the slang term “pit bull” can refer and has referred to as many as 30 different breeds. One could argue that any medium- or large-sized breed could technically be called a “pit bull.” As such, what actual breeds will Toledo require to be altered? Read the rest of this entry »

RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS OF THE WESTERN STATES
P.O. Box 1406 Newport, WA 99156
Web Site http://www.povn.com/rdows E-mail US rdows@povn.com
Blog http://rdows.wordpress.com E-mail List http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rdows

Cherie Graves, Chairwoman, WA, (509) 447-2821
Judy Schreiber, Assistant to the Chair, Director at Large, GA, rdowsdirectoratlarge@gmail.com
Elizabeth Pensgard, Executive Secretary, Illinois Director, bpensgard@yahoo.com
Hermine Stover, Media Liaison, Director at Large, CA, hermine@endangeredspecies.com
Mary Schaeffer, Finance Director, finedogs@hotmail.com
Arizona Director, John Bowen, johnalldogs@sprintmail.com
California Director, Jan Dykema, bestuvall@sbcglobal.net
Indiana Director, Charles Coffman, candkcoffman@comcast.net
Iowa Director, Leisa Boysen, rdows_iowa@yahoo.com
Mississippi Director, Dan Crutchfield, farmer1@telepak.net
Nevada Director, Ken Sondej, 4winds@viawest.net
Ohio Director, Tiffany Skotnicky, ohdirrdows@yahoo.com
Oklahoma Director, Jade Harris, aadrlegislation@yahoo.com
Tennessee Director, Gina Cotton, ginacotton@msn.com
Texas Director, Alvin Crow, crobx@austin.rr.com

Greetings:

Over the past few years I have received several letters from the Northwestern Alumni Association requesting donations. This has on more than one occasion made me feel extremely guilty. You see I love Northwestern and had always wanted to give back as much as the institution had given me. Over the years, however, I have come to realize that not all gifts need be monetary ones, and that while I can’t write NU a substantial check or offer you any kind of endowment, my occupation may be as much a payback as any you’ll find in check form. You see I have the great privilege of belonging to or running organizations (Responsible Dog Owners of the Western States, Responsible Dog Owners Group of Illinois) that protect not only the ownership and use rights of pet owners, but the constitutional rights of Illinoisans and indeed all Americans. It is an honor to belong to or helm these organizations and to be able to give back to my community, my state, my nation, and via this letter, hopefully Northwestern.

Feeling as I do about my alma mater and given my occupation, you can understand then how I felt when I read in several articles that Northwestern Law School was in receipt of a grant from former game show host Bob Barker which allowed for the establishment of animal law courses at NU Law. Mr. Barker, you are undoubtedly aware, was instrumental in getting mandatory spay/neuter legislation through the California assembly last year that, with few exceptions, would have required dogs and cats 6 months of age and older in California to be spayed or neutered. The bill, AB1634, called the “California Healthy Pets Act,” or the “Pet Extinction Act” by those in the know, thankfully did not have enough support in the California Senate. Mr. Barker was also involved in getting Los Angeles’ recent mandatory spay/neuter ordinance passed. Read the rest of this entry »