***UPDATE: OK, here's the best information I have, given that it's almost midnight and hard to figure some things out in the off-hours, gleaned from a couple of conversations w/ acquaintances w/ some connection to events: Yesterday was the day that our estimable municipal leadership announced draconian cuts, slashing jobs and closing museums and otherwise diminishing city services in the name of economizing. Evidently, the Animal Control measures were apparently supposed to be part of that package (and may still be, covertly). In any event, someone in A.C. tipped off a few other people, resulting in the denial as "rumor" represented in the Detroit Free Press article. Plausible deniability at it's finest. It would _appear_ that for the moment, this wholesale slaughter is not going to happen - however, I'm going to do some more checking tomorrow AM and ensure that that is the case. I will report back what I find out.
In the meantime, my many thanks to all for their concern - again, proof positive of the quality of people who populate this site. On a personal note, you have no idea what it means to me personally to know that there is this vast nationwide network of people of conscience, united by this site...sincerely, thank you all.***
Original diary below, in case you're wondering what is spoken about above:
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Urgent bulletin to all animal lovers everywhere: According to Amy Wettlaufer of the Michigan Animal Adoption Network, the Detroit Animal Control Department plans to euthanize all animals in its custody beginning December 17.
Faced with fiscal crisis, the Detroit City Government has elected to cut all "non-essential" services. In City Government-speak, this means killing all animals and closing the shelters, without any provision being made for accelerated adoption programs, placing animals in no-kill shelters or other facilities, or other humane solutions. While City Council and the Mayor collect their salaries and benefits as usual, ride around in chauffeur-driven and city-paid vehicles, and enjoy the benefits of lavish expense accounts and expensive personal security details, those who are least able to defend themselves - namely, the poor, the homeless, and now animals - are expected to suffer for the city government's decades of mismanagement and misdeeds.
What we need:
- A good lawyer willing to file for an injunction to stop the slaughter
- As much publicity afforded to this barbarous decision as it is possible to muster
- TONS of phone calls, letters, faxes, and emails sent to the Mayor's office and City Council Members' offices demanding that this sickening, inhumane decision be immediately rescinded.
DON'T let them attempt to "solve" this city's problems - the problems THEY created - on the backs of Detroit's animal population. DO call, write, fax, email, and spread this message around as far and wide as humanly possible, and encourage your friends to do the same. We CAN put a halt to this senseless, cruel city-sponsored killing spree - IF each of us will take the time to act, NOW.
Contact information for Detroit's city "leadership" follows below.
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
Please contact Mayor Kilpatrick at:
City of Detroit
Executive Office
Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave., Ste. 1126
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-3400
Council President Pro Tem
Kenneth V. Cockrel, Jr.
1340 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-4505 (office)
(313) 224-0367 (fax)
E-mail: CockrelK.CNCL.Council@kcockrel.ci.detroit.mi.us
Contact Person: John C. Clark
Council Member
Sharon McPhail
1340 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-4530 (office)
(313) 224- 2011 (fax)
E-mail: SMcPhail_MB@cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Contact Person: Calvin T. Hughes, Jr.
Council Member
Sheila M. Cockrel1340 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-1337 (office)
(313) 224-0369 (fax)
E-mail: S-Cockrel_mb@ckrl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Contact Person: JoAnn Abdenour
Council Member
Alberta Tinsley-Talabi
1340 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-1645 (office)
(313) 224-1787 (fax)
E-mail: A_Talabi_mb@atwpo.ci.detroit.mi.us
Contact Person: Dorotha Hannah
Council Member
Barbara-Rose Collins
1340 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-1298(office)
(313) 224-0372(fax)
E-mail: Collins_MB@cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Contact Person: Renee Baker
Council Member
Alonzo W. Bates
1340 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-1245(office)
(313) 224- 4095(fax)
E-mail: Bates_MB@cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Council Member
JoAnn Watson
1340 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
2 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 224-4535 (office)
(313) 224-1524 (fax)
E-mail: WatsonJ@cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Contact Person: Sandra Epps
Hey, dKos friends: I don't ask much, and I don't ask often, but I'm asking those of you who care about animals and their humane treatment to read this and act accordingly. Screw tips, but recommends would be greatly appreciated. And if you can pass this info around to other concerned boards/parties, that of course would be greatly appreciated too.
On behalf of the animals: Many thanks.
***UPDATE: MANY thanks to all of you who got this on the Reco list! And double thanks to those of you who'll drop a line to one of our fine city "leaders." My personal suggestion: If you don't have much time, even if you can drop a one-line message to Kwame's office and CC the rest of Council, it would be fantastic...I really think we can turn this around here. MANY thanks.***
***UPDATE 2: The FREE PRESS evidently reported that this is "just a rumor," as alexpa notes below, a couple of days ago. However, the bulletin from the Michigan Animal Adoption Network came today. So - I'm not exactly ready to dismiss this just yet. I am calling to get definitive answers, and if the FP story is true, than I will advise accordingly and subsequently delete this diary. Nonetheless, thanks all round to those of you who care about animals.