Margie: I digress today due to an email I just received from a friend. I can vouch for this lady's love of animals, fine character, and compassion. I apologize for the length but wanted you to have the full story.
You'll find all the contact information at the end of this post. Thank you!
After daily caring for the rescue dogs for 7 long months -- through the bitter, bitter cold; the never-ending rain, snow, and massive pooling of water; and the extreme heat -- I was told today that I would not be allowed to adopt Joy. Other volunteers are also being told that they may not adopt the dogs they have been working with EVEN THOUGH the plea agreement clearly states the volunteers get first preference of the dogs to be adopted. I put in applications to adopt 4 of the 8 dogs I have been working with this past year. My decision has been thought through thoroughly -- everyone that knows me knows my ability to care for dogs.
Points to understand: Eddie and Love (two other rescue dogs I am wanting to adopt) cannot be evaluated or even touched by NESR yet because those dogs are still owned by Linda Kapsa and could be returned to her at the sentencing Aug 11. SO, the ONLY dogs NESR can look at right now for me to adopt are Joy and Happy. They've told me that I can take Happy -- she will not be evaluated because she is not an English Shepherd!!!!! As a matter of fact the lead trainer and head person evaluating the dogs for NESR called Happy a big, fat swollen tick.
I could go on and on about the extreme conditions in which we have had to work with the dogs, but I do not have time to write all of this out. For those who have followed this story, you know how far Joy and all of the other dogs have come under my care and the care of the other handlers. The reason I have been given for my not "being allowed to adopt Joy" -- AND WAS GIVEN VERY, VERY HARSHLY AND WITH GREAT HOSTILITY FROM THE NATIONAL ENGLISH SHEPHERD RESCUE representatives -- is that she has not progressed since January. What a bunch of bullcrap. Massive bullcrap. This is the same reason other handlers are being given also.
I've been told that Joy will be going to an experienced English Shepherd home, but when asked where that home would be I was told that it had not been determined yet. Anyone who knows and sees me with the dogs knows how attached all the dogs are to me, but most especially Joy. Her attachment to me and me alone is very strong. She is cautious around strangers, but this is an English Shepherd trait.
PLEASE if you have time, PLEASE blast these people with emails (and phone calls) with your shock over the volunteers NOT getting the choice to adopt the dogs they have been working with for 7 MONTHS -- dogs for which they have sacrificed in their lives and finances. The plea agreement clearly states the volunteers get preference to adopt the dogs. The volunteers get preference -- NOT NESR.
Thank you everyone. Your help is needed.
Penny
Email addresses:
Yellowstone County Commissioners
jostlund@co.yellowstone.mt.gov
jreno@co.yellowstone.mt.gov
bkennedy@co.yellowstone.mt.gov
Billings Gazette (newspaper)
Steve Prosinski, Editor
406-657-1289
1-800-543-2505
sprosinski@billingsgazette.com
Chris Rubich, Features Editor
406-657-1301
same 800 number as above
crubich@billingsgazette.com
Tom Tollefson, Local Government/Courts Editor
406-657-1399
same 800 number
ttollefson@billingsgazette.com
Donna Healy, Feature Writer
406-657-1292
same 800 number
dhealy@billingsgazette.com
Jan Falstad, Business/Economy
406-657-1293
same 800 number
jfalstad@billingsgazette.com
Ed Kemmick
406-657-1293
same 800 number
ekimmick@billingsgazette.com
Also:
citynews@billingsgazette.com
