Arkansas mayor 'dumps' shelter animals in forest

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We are transitioning, I hope, from the days of operating a "Dog Pound"
to the management of an Animal Shelter and the full program that
brings to bear upon our animal population. No longer will it be
acceptable to merely "catch" dogs, hold them for a period of time and
kill them. We can, we must, we shall do better!

If we are serious about management of the animal population in accord
with national standards, we are going to need some funding. It is my
hope that some will donate to the cause by sending money in any amount
to our City Clerk, Mrs. Sandra Ramsey, P O Box 248, Helena-West
Helena, AR 72342 attn: Animal Control Fund. I hope that you are one of
those persons. Please, do let this opportunity to do good pass you by.

I will inject myself into a fundraising effort to assure that the
shelter drive collects at least $50,000 by the end of this year. I
have met, on a number of occassions, with Ms. Gloria Higginbotham with
the Delta Chapter of the Humane Society. She has been nothing but
civil and civic-minded. I applaud her and the Delta Chapter (not to be
confused with the Ruby Burton outfit). Because of our meetings and the
good will of certain people in the business community, we are off to a
good start with our fund raising effort for the shelter.

Furthermore, my wife and I hereby pledge $1,000.00 of our money
contingent upon 10 other families doing the same thing and paying that
pledged amount by November 15, 2008 to the Animal Control Fund. In
addition, I pledge to volunteer 50 hours per year for animal shelter
work or related causes once the shelter is viable. These things, we
hope, will cause others to focus on animal welfare in a realistic way.

Gloria Higginbotham and I met with County Judge Don Gentry. He has
pledged his support and we hope to make the animal shelter county wide
such that the smaller cities and communities within Phillips County
are served as well. I saw Mayor Sonny Foster, Mayor of Marvell,
Arkansas at the Arkansas Municipal League conference in Hot Springs.
He, too, has pledged his support of the effort to better manage our
animal population.

It's a new day for animal control in Phillips County, Arkansas; a new
day in the "Delta." It is our hope, belief and aspiration that you
will step up and lend a helping hand in this effort.

Sincerely,


James F. Valley

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Honorable James F. Valley
MAYOR - Helena West Helena
P O Box 248
Helena-West Helena, 72342
870-572-3421 Phone
870-572-5034 Fax
870-817-4035 Cell

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Mr. Valley,
You continue to embarrass yourself. Your message to the masses of people who obviously care more than you do for animals was repulsive. YOU elected to be in public office. With that comes responsibility and being able to take what comes be it negative or positive criticism. You should be ashamed of yourself for sending out personal messages you received, not to mention their contact information.
I personally plan to share all correspondence with National new services. YOU really are an embarrassment to your city. YOU act like you were being nailed to the cross. Suck it up.
YOU did a stupid thing and as a public official you should be able to take whatever is said to you or about you. YOU cant react like a 12 yr old girl and cry about name calling.
MY first letter to you was respectful and this is what I get in return?
I hope you have good counsel because I have received many letters myself from others like me who are offended by your response and your lack of recognizing that sending everyone's email information
may not have been the most appropriate thing to do.
Your attempt to make us feel guilty because had never contributed to your community was pathetic.
Had you made known your situation with the shelter before this happened would I have contributed to this problem? Absolutely!
But now, I would need a full report of how you have spent your tax payer's monies.
I have a feeling that the money was there, but perhaps you spent it on one of your many festivals or city's parties. That's right! I guess you have time to party and celebrate your greatness....but don't have money to try to get these animals to rescues!
Maybe instead of having a party you could have held a fund raiser for the shelter. YOU didn't think it was important then and you dont now! The only reason you are doing it now is because you are embarrassed because you got caught. Typical.
Anxiously awaiting your next correspondence and to see how far you can get your foot in this time.

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Another letter sent by an angry person! Thought this was good too
Dear Mayor Valley:

I, for one, do not know and do not care about your "age, sex, height, weight, marital status, race, educational background or anything else about [you]." My comments (not published) had nothing to do with the foregoing and had everything to do with your breaking the law by releasing these animals into one of our national forests. That you chose to insinuate otherwise in your widely distributed e-mail is irresponsible and once again confirms my opinion about your inability to perform the duties of your position as mayor.

Our national forests, parks, and recreation areas are owned by the people of the United States of America. It is against the law to abandon animals, where they risk starvation, disease, and death by other, even more hideous means. I stand by these statements, which I have the right to express. Because you are a public official, it is the right--indeed, the duty--of every citizen in this country to make sure you do not abuse your power and that you take responsibility--and pay the consequences--for your actions.

In your e-mail you say "my approach HAS NOT been tempered by these communications," then in the following sentence you state "these communications have hindered the purpose and goals of the Humane Society of the United States by taking the low road." Which is it, Mayor Valley? Once again, you seem to have trouble getting your facts straight.

Finally, let me say this publicly, so everyone included in your e-mail list can bear witness: There can be no excuse for the release of these animals into one of our national forests. If "communications have hindered the purpose and goals of the Humane Society of the United States" with you on this issue, then that was YOUR decision, Mr. Valley, not mine.

Sincerely,
Kimberley VanDerveer