LETTER/Puerto Rico's Massacre At The Bridge

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10/17/07: Puerto Rico's Massacre At The Bridge KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGN http://www.KinshipCircle.org PHOTO: In this photo released by Animal Protectors Network, animal rights activist Leisha Swayne comforts Yoli, a pet dog seized along with dozens of others by animal control workers several days earlier and apparently left for dead where she was thrown off a rural highway bridge in the San Juan area, Friday, Oct. 12, 2007. The dog, among only a few

to survive, suffered a broken spine, pelvis, and other broken bones. Animal welfare groups will help Puerto Rico housing project residents pursue legal action after animal control workers seized their pets and hurled them to their deaths from a bridge, an activist said Sunday. (AP Photo/Maritza Rodriguez, Animal Protectors Network) SOURCE OF INFORMATION: Pet massacre in Puerto Rico, SAMPLE PETTER AND PETITION mentayflor Pets Hurled Off Bridge in Puerto Rico http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jnVM28pujsusIu2PeX7-zhySk87AD8S7VACO0 Pet Raid Leads To Massacre At Bridge http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-pets1014.artoct14,0,5985857.story FULL COVERAGE: Owners of Massacred Pets to Receive Help + MORE STORIES http://www.newstin.com/sim/us/26809559/en-005-005520159 Outrage in Puerto Rico Over Pet Deaths http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=389 & sid=1266666 A Day In The Life Of Puerto Rico Animal Hell http://www.saveasato.org/animalhell.htm PETITION: Puerto Rico Pet Massacre - Pets Hurled Off Bridge in Puerto Rico http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/puerto-rico-pet-massacre =========================================================== EMAIL CONTACTS SAMPLE LETTER + POSTAL ADDRESSES/PHONES FOLLOW Kinship Circle does not guarantee all email addresses will work. Emails are from government sites and an alert from: mentayflor Some may be disabled due to this campaign. Try later. =========================================================== ALL EMAILS IN THIS ALERT: Brian_E._Sullivan, PR_Webmanager, portal, info, aalamo,

orientacion, info, ode, aaj, tgonzalez, ddiaz, zvazquez, mlaborde, JVega, aperez, igaya, mnavas, drodriguez2, edperez eruiz, ysoler, eruizfederalesmunbta, sistemainformacion, acastillo, adelgado, slolivo, informacion, portal, mcalderon, mtorres, mrivera, ocpr, acolon, arodriguez, opinion, opinion, servicios =========================================================== SAMPLE LETTER Sample letters are prepared to give you ample background on an issue. Try to change some words, pare down letters, and make them your own. **DELETE ALL REFERENCES TO KINSHIP CIRCLE BEFORE SENDING** =========================================================== Dear U.S. Department of Housing and Government Officials of Puerto Rico: I am appalled Mayor Sol Luis Fontanez's recent no-pet decree at three housing projects resulted in agonizing death for cats and dogs in the town of Barceloneta. Apparently Animal Control Solution, under municipal contract to seize pets from residents threatened with eviction, rounded up animals and injected them with an unknown substance. Distraught caretakers, including children, were told their animals would be transported to a

shelter. Instead, animal control workers flung pets and strays from a bridge in Vega Baja. According to witnesses, the 50-foot drop left at least 50 animals dead and others dragging their shattered bodies to a nearby highway. This incident is not only vulgar, but calls for legal action as well. I urge Mayor Fontanez and local law enforcers to pursue a criminal investigation and file animal cruelty charges against Animal Control Solution owner Julio Diaz, his employees, and any outside parties involved in this crime. If convicted, please advocate maximum incarceration and fines allowed by law. I respectfully ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in Washington D.C. and San Juan offices, to conduct its own inquiry with special attention to how a "no-pet policy" could lead to the abduction and brutal death of so many animals. I encourage HUD to accommodate companion animals in

all its government-subsidized projects. In America, roughly 73 million dogs and 90 million cats live as companions with people (American Pet Products Manufacturers Association 2005-2006 National Pet Owners Survey). Obviously, these gentle and loyal creatures are family members. If, as HUD claims, there is no ban on pets in public housing, it needs to better communicate this to local authorities. I am reluctant to visit Puerto Rico as a tourist until government officials implement sweeping animal welfare reforms. Please uphold animal protection laws and penalize those who abuse or kill animals in violation of the law. I encourage the government to enact a pet registration law and develop a network of municipal shelters that maintain veterinary supervision, mandatory sterilization, vaccinations, microchip identification, and responsible adoption policies. As images of diseased, starving and abused

animals resonate around the world, people who value sentient life will boycott Puerto Rico as a travel destination. Let this massacre at the bridge serve as a wake-up call for significant advances in the humane treatment of animals. Thank you, =========================================================== Full Contact Information NOTE: Some contacts below have NO AVAILABLE EMAIL ADDRESSES. =========================================================== [HUD: Headquarters, Washington DC] U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Mr. Brian E. Sullivan 451 7th Street S.W., Rm. 10134 * Washington, DC 20410 ph: 202-708-0685, ext. 7527 * email:

Brian_E._Sullivan SOURCE: http://www.hud.gov/ [HUD: Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands] US Department of Housing and Urban Development San Juan Field Office Michael A. Colon, Field Office Director 235 Federico Costa Street, Suite 200 * San Juan, PR 00918 ph: 787-766-5201; fax: 787-766-5995 email: PR_Webmanager SOURCE: http://www5.hud.gov:63001/po/i/netlocator/ Hon. Sol Luis Fontanez Olivo, Barceloneta Mayor P.O. Box 2049 * Barceloneta, P.R. 00617-2049 ph: 787-846-3400; fax: 787-846-0089 web email form: http://www.gobierno.pr/GenericAgencyPortal/contactenos.aspx SOURCE: http://www.barceloneta.puertorico.pr Puerto Rico Government Sites http://www.statelocalgov.net/other-pr.htm The Honorable Anibal Acevedo-Vila, Governor of Puerto Rico BMB 110202 Calle San Gustos * San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901-1711 ph: 787-977-6317; fax 787-977-6356 email: portal Hon. Jose F. Aponte Hernandez President of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives PO Box 902228 * San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902-2228 ph: 787-721-6040, 787-721-6030 email: info SOURCE: http://www.camaraderepresentantes.org/ Hon. Kenneth McClintock President of Puerto Rico's Senate P.O. Box 9023431 * San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902-3431 SOURCE: http://www.saveasato.org/animalhell.htm Luis G. Fortuno Representing The People of Puerto Rico in the United

States Congress Washington D.C. Office 126 Cannon House Office Building * Washington, D.C. 20515 ph: 202-225-2615; fax: 202-225-2154 SOURCE: http://www.house.gov/fortuno/contact.htm Departamento de Justicia Edificio Anexo, Piso 6 600 Calle Olimpo, Esquina Axtmayer Pda. 11, Miramar, PR ph: 787-729-2106, 2106,2185, 787-729-2516; fax 787-2059 email: aalamo, orientacion SOURCE: http://www.justicia.gobierno.pr/rs_template/v2/progvic/PV_teldir.html Office of Government Ethics of Puerto P.O. Box 194200 * San Juan PR 00919-4200 ph: 787-622-0305; fax: 787-754-0977 emails: info, ode, aaj SOURCE; http://www.oegpr.net/ Puerto Rico Tourism

Company Puerto Rico Main Office P.O. Box 902-3960 * San Juan, P.R. 00902-3960 ph: 787-721-2400, 1-800-866-7827 emails: tgonzalez, ddiaz, zvazquez, jcastaner, mlaborde, JVega, aperez, igaya, mnavas, drodriguez2, edperez SOURCE: http://www.gotopuertorico.com/ *************************************************************************************************** *************************************************************************************************** Kinship Circle is a nonprofit organization serving the animal advocacy

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