UPDATE 6/28/03 on the Montana Collies

Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt

*Permission to crosspost*

20 MONTANA COLLIES

I regret to tell you that Friday, June 27,2003, 5 of the 20 “Montana collies” were shipped to a breeder in Detroit, Michigan, according to the plea bargain: collies #33, “Midas” (male sable smooth), #119, “Wizard” (male blue merle smooth), #3, “Sequin” (female blue merle smooth), #8, “Vogue” (female sable smooth), & #56, “Guinevere” (female sable smooth).  Tonight 7 more of the “Montana collies” will be shipped to a breeder.

CONFERENCE CALL

A conference call to prepare alternate plans to spay/neuter the Montana collies as recommended by the collie & sheltie veterinarians, was held today at 1 PM EST in the Great Falls law office of attorney Bob James, who along with his wife Cindy have volunteered at Camp Collie for the past 8 months.  Dr. Nancy Kelso & Dr. Cindi Bossart represented the collie veterinarians and consulted with lead Camp Collie veterinarian Dr. Kelly Manzer.  Dr. Manzer described the dogs’ overall condition as greatly improved.  New stool samples have been taken and results are pending.  Dr. Kelso and Dr. Bossart explained collie sensitivities to anesthesia and pre-anesthesia.  Three possibilities on how to proceed with the alternate spay/neuter plan were explored:  #1, enlisting local veterinarians to do surgeries in their private hospitals, #2, Dave Pauli suggested HSUS take small groups of collies to various humane society shelters in Montana, which have their own in-house hospitals and staff veterinarians, #3, facilitate the offer made Friday night by Dr. Sharon Vanderlip, collie veterinarian, and an assistant to come to Montana at their own expense and perform surgeries in a facility, which is currently available.  This would require a temporary license by the State of Montana.

On Wednesday, several Great Falls area veterinarians are meeting with Dr. Manzer to discuss these options.

ADOPTION APPLICATION

We still do not have an approved Adoption Application form for you.  Those of you who expressed interest in coming to Montana the first week of July to adopt a collie will need to delay your trip until we have approved application forms and spaying & neutering is underway.  We remind you that volunteers are desperately needed every day of the week at Camp Collie.

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.

Send your donations to:

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