To: County Chair Jeff Cogen:
Where was MCAS? Multnomah County elected a No Kill shelter agenda in 2000 that was to have been reached by 2005. It was a decision made by a broad assembly of citizens appointed by then County Chair Bev Stein. The lack of leadership in Multnomah County is the singular cause.. Instead of honoring the county tax payers’ will, you have sacrificed this for your own and Michael Oswald’s comfort. It is easier to dispose of tax payers and homeless animals than upset the status quo or a fellow employee.
As a result, increasing taxpayers’ monies are squandered on an unsupportable archaic punitive animal control system. While declaring No Kill unachievable (and rejecting outside independent review that would design a program achieving this), you take monies from Maddie’s Fund whose agenda is No Kill, and Open Paw, whose humane philosophy and practices are routinely violated.
To take money from No Kill sponsors, then reject the premises underlying the acceptance of these gifts is simply dishonest. Without study or outside review, you apparently believe, as a matter of personal convenience, that No Kill is impossible. It isn’t, You should for ethical reasons return the monies given by these organizations..
It is notable that after declaring that you would not accept dishonesty in a government employee, you have, and do exactly that. MCAS has a long documented history of deception, promoting false statistics and making highly misleading claims intended to misdirect. Mr. Oswald recently quoted live release rates that are false. He altered the accepted formula, allowing double counting, the equivalent of stuffing the ballot box, and discounts/does not include or account for hundreds of animals annually that just go missing. If these were “real ” property, county supplies, books and pencils, chairs, you would account for them.
Modeling accountability and honesty begin at the top. What is accepted at the top becomes the county ethic.
Gail O’Connell-Babcock, Ph.D.
Citizens for Humane Animal Legislation