Michelle -
Thank you for doing this! If it's not finished yet, a few points I'd want to include:
The fact that a harassing caller identified herself as a Mickaboo volunteer/representative makes it very unlikely that the caller was associated with us. It would be absurd for us to destroy our credibility and undermine the hard work we have done on this issue by making such threats and then identifying ourselves.
Threatening to burn down a pet store is dispicable. Mickaboo was founded and is run by people who love birds and are committed to saving them. We would not even threaten to harm a bird, much less to cause horrible deaths for dozens of helpless, trapped animals. Violence (or threats of violence) against animals contradicts everything we stand for, and the charge we would ever condone such actions is unthinkable and deeply offensive.
Mickaboo is an all-volunteer organization of several hundred members. We cannot account for the private behavior of every individual who might have adopted or fostered a bird for us. Whatever the origin of these threats, however, we deplore and condemn them as acts of verbal violence. We ask that the harassing phone calls be traced and that the perpetrators be identified and prosecuted. If those responsible are in any way associated with Mickaboo, we want to know who they are so they may be expelled from our organization.
Authorities also should investigate whether rogue elements within the breeder-pet seller community may have been behind these threats as a means of generating sympathy for The Animal Connection, discrediting Mickaboo, or distracting attention from the issue of homeless birds.
Whatever our disagreements with Rick French, we extend our sympathy to them for having to endure these senseless acts, and we offer our cooperation in any investigation of them.
-----Original Message-----Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 11:02 PM
From: Elizabeth Y
Sent: Aug 9, 2010 11:34 AM
To: Mickaboo media advisor team
Subject: Re: [Media-advisors] URGENT Question about Mickaboo
To: Mickaboo media advisor team <media-advisors@mickaboo.org>
Subject: Re: [Media-advisors] URGENT Question about Mickaboo
I think everyone is correct. If you would like, Elizabeth, I would be happy to respond to Sally's email in an official capacity. (I'm hoo-ome).
On Sun, Aug 8, 2010 at 7:55 PM, Elizabeth Y <adoptkings@gmail.com> wrote:
See below
From: Sally Stephens <stephensfw@mindspring.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 7:18 PM
To: Philip Gerrie <glassgerrie@gmail.com>; SaveABunny@aol.com
Cc: Rose Harris <harris.rose@att.net>; Elliot M. Katz DVM <emk@idausa.org>; Elizabeth Young <adoptkings@gmail.com>; Sally Stephens <stephensfw@mindspring.com>; Pam Hemphill <pam.hemphill@gmail.com>; Kim Flaherty <kflaherty@pacbell.net>; Kat.Brown@sfgov.org; jchick73@yahoo.com; Teresa Murphy <teresa@cavyspirit.com>
Subject: Re: Working Group Update August 8, 7 pm
FYI, I just heard from Ellen French that they're getting threatening phone calls both at their store and on their unlisted home phone. I think she said three since Thursday. The threats are that they will burn down either the store or the home, that the caller knows where they live. They've filed police reports with both SF and East Bay police (they live in the East Bay) about the phone calls. If you hear anything about who might be responsible, please call the cops and tell them. Threatening phone calls are absolutely unacceptable, no exceptions, not to mention highly immoral.Elizabeth, they also said a woman who gave her name as Virginia called their store today and said she was with Mickaboo and she wanted to buy a lovebird from their store. Do you have any idea who that might be? I'm assuming this too was a harassing phone call and not from Mickaboo since I can't imagine why Mickaboo would be trying to get birds from a store. Or did they misunderstand the phone call and were you trying to place a lovebird with them? Needless to say, they believe the phone call really came from Mickaboo and it was intended to harass them. Any ideas who might be behind this?-- Sally