UPDATE 6/25/03 on the Montana Collies
Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt
*Permission to crosspost*
VOLUME SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC CANCELLED:
The AWCA alternate plan to spay/neuter the Montana collies in smaller groups at local veterinary hospitals, for which we pay the medical bills, has been accepted by Sheriff Donna Matoon. While the collie community respects the efficiency of volume spay/neuter clinics, we needed more individualized surgeries for the Montana collies.
The “all in one day” plan would permit the animals to be adopted out sooner, providing a partial solution to the very serious financial problems facing Toole County Sheriffs Office. “We do not have the money in the Toole County collie rescue fund to pay the June bills for Camp Collie,” explained Sheriff Matoon. She believed the volume spay/neuter clinic was safe, following discussions with Dave Pauli of HSUS and others associated with successful spay/neuter task force clinics. We warmly thank Sheriff Matoon for her understanding of the collie and sheltie communities’ concerns. By accepting our alternate plan to provide more individualized surgeries, further financial concerns arise for TCSO, which hoped to close Camp Collie around the middle of August. Thanks to the generosity of Dave Pauli, this timetable is still realistic. He assured me today by phone, “HSUS will facilitate transport of the animals to local veterinary hospitals without charge to the best of our ability.”
Evidenced by the superior examples set by HSUS regarding the transport of the animals from Shelby to Great Falls, we, the collie and sheltie communities, have the greatest respect for the ability of HSUS to safely transport the animals. We thank Dave Pauli and HSUS profusely.
The details of the altering process and the adoptions will soon be finalized. Collie veterinarians, Dr. Nancy Kelso, Dr. Cindi Bossart, and Dr. David Hansen, and sheltie veterinarian, Dr. Sheri Schlorman, will provide breed-specific information and assist with medical arrangements.
Folks, by saving these animals at great personal sacrifice to themselves, the residents of Toole County and surrounding communities have set the standard for animal cruelty cases worldwide for generations to come. The courage and dedication of the Toole County Sheriffs Office “doing the right thing” will be forever remembered by animal lovers everywhere. We must not let these good people down in their hour of extreme financial distress and physical exhaustion caused by this collie rescue of unprecedented magnitude.
GO to Camp Collie.
HELP the volunteers.
PLEASE help us help Toole County Sheriffs Office to pay for Camp Collie until all animals are on their way to loving homes.
AWCA Rescue
Bethany Burke, AWCA Treasurer
2807 Lee Trevino Ct.
Shalimar, FL 32579
and especially
Toole County Community Collie Rescue Fund
First State Bank of Shelby
260 Main St
Shelby, MT 59474
The collies are almost home!
Calmly,
Jean Levitt, President AWCA
Lisa King, Director of AWCA Rescue
and the Officers and Members of AWCA