February 16th, 2007
Fireworks at City Hall!
Victory for the animals on Wed. night at the Camarillo City Council meeting. The Council voted unanimously to fund the fireworks IF they were moved to a new location.
Three Council members were visibly irritated by our involvement in "their" city politics and several comments were made to minimize our opposition in their decision. "We've never liked this location (20 years at Freedom Park) and the past 4 years we've been discussing a new location". Another council member blasted us for involving "outsiders". "We don't care what those National groups think (ASPCA, Humane Society, PETA) and that petition doesn't matter either. If I saw names from outside of the city....I just cross them off, they don't count." "We don't like to be threatened".
So, they can puff up their ego and pretend they were going to change anyway, but we all know the truth. Once the Lions Club backed out then the City didn't want to take the blame. It can't hurt that the ASPCA gave the City of Camarillo the "Bonehead Award" in 2006. And then a major donor, a developer, pulled out because he didn't want people to picket in front of his model homes. The petition did make a strong statement, the letters to the editor and our popular local columnist wrote a second story about the issue.
WE can celebrate one for the animals in Ventura County. Thanks to all who signed the petition, wrote letters to the editor, posted on Colleen Cason’s web editorial comment page and especially those who showed up at City Hall.
Congrats to Carrie Lenk-Gaul who got married last week in Hawaii but still made time to sign AND post on the Ventura County Star page!!!
A Special Thanks to Catherine Barrett-Fisher who wrote letters to all the Council members and has recently become involved in dog rescue. She and her husband adopted a black toy poodle from PCSC in '06 and have since become involved in Pet Haven Rescue in their area near Murrieta, CA. They have fostered 6 poodles over the past couple months! We wish you lived closer..:)
After 20 years the issue was brought to the public and the public responded overwhelmingly to support the animals. It is amazing how many people, including our group, didn't realize what was going on. Nobody stopped to think about it or had to deal with it except the people who worked at the shelter and they had to endure the event each year.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead
To view the press that this matter received in 2006 please click here.
March 3rd, 2007: In Defense of Animals
February 26th, 2007: Two more letters in the Opinions section of the Ventura County Star.
February 26th, 2007: The Lions roar.
February 24th, 2007: A little note to Camarillo in the Ventura County Star.
February 21st, 2007: Letters published in the Ventura County Star.
February 18th, 2007: Today's Arthur - A Camarillo native weighs in.
February 19th, 2007: Follow-up Today's Arthur.
February 17th, 2007: Another article in the Ventura County Star
February 16th, 2007: Short article in the Ventura County Star.
February 16th, 2007: The Acorn publishes an article about this issue.
February 14, 2007: Letter to the Editor published by the Ventura County Star.
February 11th, 2007: Colleen Cason, columnist at The Ventura County Star weighs in! Click here to read her article then be sure to scroll to the bottom of the article and leave your comments. You will have to "sign in" - it's free and they will NOT spam you.
February 8th, 2007
It has come to our attention that the City of Camarillo is yet again strongly considering holding Fourth of July Fireworks at Freedom Park in Camarillo right next door to where up to 400 already terrorized cats and dogs are housed at the Ventura County Animal Shelter.
Those of us who are animal lovers are of course appalled that the Mayor, the City Council members and the County Supervisors are even considering doing this yet again.
Please join us in writing a letter right now politely requesting that the Mayor, Jan McDonald, and Council Members and County Supervisors of Camarillo and Ventura County MOVE the community fireworks to a different location.
Want to volunteer to help? Please email Marie.
Writing letters does seem boring but it really does work by cumulative effect.
The general number for the Mayor Jan McDonald and Camarillo City Council is 1 (805) 388-5307
or you may write the council members at
council@ci.camarillo.ca.us
or fax: 1 (805) 388-5318
County of Ventura Supervisor:
Kathy Long
Phone: 1 (805) 654 -2276
Fax: 1 (805) 654-2226
kathy.long@ventura.org
Also please take a moment to write a letter to
Editor in Chief of the Ventura County Star,
Joe Howry
jhowry@venturacountystar.com
or fax: 1 (805) 650-2950
The Camarillo Acorn - Editor Daniel Wolowicz
P.O. Box 822
Camarillo, CA. 93011
805-484-2403
Fax: 805-484-2313
camarillo@theacorn.com
U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly
2829 Townsgate Road, Suite 315
Thousand Oaks, CA 91361-3018
(805) 497-2224
Toll Free: (800) 423-0023
FAX: (805) 497-0039
Please contact the Los Angeles Times:
Letters to the L.A. Times should be brief (250 words or less) and are subject to condensation. They must include a full name (initials and pseudonyms will not be used) and a valid mailing address and telephone number. Unpublished letters cannot be acknowledged.
Call: 1 (213) 237-4511.
Fax: (213) 237-7679.
E-mail:
letters@latimes.com
Additionally you may write or phone or fax the offices of:
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 1(916) 445-2841
Fax: 1 (916) 445-4633
email: http://www.govmail.ca.gov/
As of February 8th, 2007 we have 782 Signatures opposing the fireworks being held at the Freedom Park location -- please sign the ACTION ALERT Petition at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/326160974
February 12th, 2007 we have 877 signatures!
February 14th, 2007 we have 943 signatures!
Thank you Erika Decio!
Should our pleas to move the fireworks to another venue fall on deaf ears would you like to volunteer to picket local businesses who choose to sponsor this event? If so please email marieis@bigplanet.com
In Hope: An Animal Shelter Story
Thank you to Robert Valentine, a vet tech at the Ventura County Animal Shelter in Camarillo for creating this
presentation and for sharing it with us all.
As a nation, we claim to love cats and dogs. Millions of households have pets, and billions of dollars are spent yearly on pet supplies and food. But as a nation, we should take a hard, sobering look at a different annual statistic: the millions of dogs and cats given up to shelters or left to die on the streets. And the numbers tell only half the story.
Every cat or dog who dies as a result of pet overpopulation—whether humanely in a shelter or by injury, disease, or neglect—is an animal who, more often than not, would have made a wonderful companion, if given the chance. Tremendous as the problem of pet overpopulation is, it can be solved if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our animals to breed. Here's information about this crisis and why spaying and neutering is the first step to a solution. -HSUS
