That's exciting - I even want to do it :) On 8/13/10, Elizabeth Young wrote:

FYI

reads bottom up

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Teresa Murphy Date: Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 1:30 PM Subject: Re: some thoughts on Pet Ready To: Elizabeth Young

Hi Elizabeth,

Thanks very much for the feedback, compliments and support. I do apologize too much, so thanks for pointing that out. It does weaken me by doing that and I have to get over it.

To address your concern about the pet sellers being included. The reality for me is, I had to be inclusive in the discussion in order to melt a bit of the backs of the pet store people. The bottom line is we're going to need their cooperation in a variety of ways, just getting the thing done, but more importantly, in adoption and marketing, etc.

However, I am in NO WAY interested AT ALL in having them have anything to do with anything that lowers the standard of education we want to deliver. Nor anything at all that impinges on the overall goal of getting rid of impulse buying.

Also, Rebecca Katz, in my very brief conversation with her after the meeting FINALLY ended, is of the same opinion.

WE are going to need to set up a corporation and go through the 501c3 process. I fully intend to establish the leadership and voting positions as I stated: rescues and animal welfare advocates, not pet sellers. Sure, they'll have a role. They have to. And we have to make it in such a way that it seems like we're including them, but they WILL NOT be calling shots if I have anything to say about it. BUT, if anything happens to water down what *I* want in the education, then I'm out of there in a heartbeat and will have nothing to do with it and will go back to my anti-pet store advocacy.

For example, it WILL be part of the guinea pig education that they should have 2 non-breeding guinea pigs and a cage size of at least 8 square feet on the lower floor. (no pet store cage is big enough) We WILL indicate what traditional pet store products are bad for guinea pigs--balls, wheels, etc. The stores aren't going to like it, but too damn bad.

This is your program, too! We need to make it what we want. That's why I was strong about the "coalition" aspect. The sooner we get in there and put the infrastructure in place, the less we'll have to worry about that.

As soon as I hear from Rebecca on getting together for our first meeting, I'll let you know and really want you there!

I updated the powerpoint to include a TM on the Pet-Ready name ( www.petready.org). I'll also give some thought this weekend on which vehicle to use for communicating on the site. I'm quite skilled in setting up collaborative, community websites, so I'll get that going as soon as possible. We'll definitely have an inner circle of collaborators so that we stay on track.

I'm really jazzed about this!

More soon.

Cheers, Teresa

On Aug 13, 2010, at 11:23 AM, Elizabeth Young wrote:

Hi, Teresa-

I was really impressed with your presentation last night. I think the switch to Pet Ready was great and I especially appreciated your effectiveness in revealing all the impacted animals (released in the wild, surrendered to rescues, suffering inadequate care, being bred to death and dying in transit) that are not reflected in euthanasia stats.

It did feel as if you have pulled back from the "separation of church and state" concept in including pet sellers in the Coalition. I think there is a profound conflict of interest there in that sales profits trump animal welfare.

Also- not that you asked for any feedback but I wanted to say that you're a great presenter and the only "off notes" I heard last night were your apologies (for the slides and for a few other things which I didn't even notice as issues but did notice the "sorries"). No more apologizing. You're AWESOME!

Thank you for all that you do and for doing SO much! e

-- Elizabeth

Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt. www.RescueReport.org http://www.rescuereport.org/ www.MickaCoo.org http://www.mickacoo.org/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0

-- Elizabeth

Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt. www.RescueReport.org www.MickaCoo.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0