The email began —
“Hello Fellow Friend of the Animals,
The SPCA Tampa Bay’s 26th Annual Pet Walk is just 15 days away! On behalf of the 1,000 Bitches, I am asking you to consider walking and joining our team or making a donation to us….”
Below is the courageous response sent by a former volunteer.
“Please join you at an event for an organization that has abandoned the needs of the animals in Pinellas County who need the most help? I will not!
“Join you at an event for an organization that pays its director a six-figure salary while positions have been eliminated that provided help to animals in need? I will not!
“Join you at an event that supports an organization that has ended the lives of many animals who would have made perfect pets in the homes of Pinellas County residents? I will not!
“Join you at a fundraiser for an organization that fired volunteers who provided animal care equating to over a half a million dollars annually? I will not!
“I can only pray that a rain pours all day on St Petersburg on October 8th and this event is cancelled.
“Yes, I am a friend of the animals of Pinellas County. I have four rescue dogs, two having come from SPCA Tampa Bay. Because of my commitment to the animals, it is impossible for me to join you at an event supporting an organization that would rather raise money to pay salaries than use the funds where they are needed most — TO HELP THE ANIMALS IN NEED!
“I am not able to support you in memory of Flash. Did you attend the 1,000 Bitches meeting at SPCA Tampa Bay in May 2013? Flash was the cute little corgi mix who was used in a training demonstration. He was able to sit on a towel with just 2 minutes of clicker training. Ask Martha Boden what happened to Flash; he was euthanized by SPCA Tampa Bay because he was there too long.
“I am not able to support you in memory of Santana. Ask Martha Boden about Santana; she arrived at SPCA Tampa Bay late in 2013, pregnant. SPCA Tampa Bay allowed her to carry her puppies almost full term, then spayed her, aborted the puppies and euthanized them. Santana was put up for adoption the day after her spaying, was adopted the next day — and passed away three weeks later.
“I am not able to support you in memory of Buddy. Buddy was a gorgeous yellow lab that arrived at SPCA Tampa Bay in the spring of 2013 to find his forever home. He spent the entire summer there, and as a canine volunteer, I walked him first each day I was there and last before I left. My husband and I lost a dog to cancer in July 2013 before we were leaving on vacation. I took my husband over to meet Buddy before we left, but did not think if would be fair to Buddy to adopt him and then leave on an extended vacation. My husband and I told Buddy if he was still there when we got back, we would be his forever family. I regret this decision every day…. Buddy was euthanized when we were gone because he had been there all summer. Ask Martha Boden how she sleeps at night knowing a pet has been killed just because……….
“I am not able to support you because of the hundreds if not thousands of other animals that have lost their lives at the hands of SPCA Tampa Bay — an organization that should be saving rather than killing. Ask Martha Boden about the kill statistics at SPCA Tampa Bay and how they compare to other animal welfare organizations.
“How many major donors have you lost due to the changes made at SPCA Tampa Bay by Martha Boden, CEO? I remember the Pet Walk when Rogan and Associates was the presenting sponsor and we counted the money in their motor home. Ask Martha Boden why you no longer see the Rogan and Associates motor home at the Pet Walk.
“An organization of 1,000 females, and only 10 have signed up to support this event? Ask yourself why you are not able to get women to support this event and organization.
“When will the Board of Directors, employees and groups like the 1,000 Bitches (of which I was previously a member) take a stand for the animals of Pinellas County and demand a change of leadership at SPCA Tampa Bay? THAT IS WHEN I WILL JOIN YOU AT THE PET WALK, AND NOT ONE DAY EARLIER!
“I’m just one person, but many together can make a difference. If you truly want to make a difference in the lives of the animals of Pinellas County, check out the Facebook page for SPCA Tampa Bay Behind The Kennel Doors.”
Sincerely,
Amy Ulrich
Again, mtA asks….When will they get the message?
# # #
Below is the full email:
From: mwalkiewic@aol.com
Date: September 26, 2016 at 2:05:35 PM EDT
To: mariacw@aol.com
Subject: Please join me for the SPCA Tampa Bay Pet Walk–Saturday, October 8, 2016
Hello Fellow Friend of the Animals,
The SPCA Tampa Bay’s 26th Annual Pet Walk is just 15 days away! On behalf of the 1,000 Bitches, I am asking you to consider walking and joining our team or making a donation to us. We need 15 more team members to reach our goal of 25 and to help us exceed our team fundraising goal of $3,000.
This year’s Pet Walk will be held in the beautiful Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg on Saturday, October 8th. The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and the walk starts at 10:00 a.m.
It’s easy to register! Just go to www.petwalk.org and click on the Register tab. Select Join a team and choose 1,000 Bitches.
I look forward to seeing everyone there!
Sincerely,
Maria Walkiewicz