Agreed, it was better than most.   I'm also dissapointed with Pacelle...a bit of a "Sophie's Choice"   Their own site, states birds are the third most popular pet - doesn't that alone suggest there could be problems within that population?  Then their second article acknowledges shelters are ill-equiped to handle parrots.   http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/rabbit_horse_and_other_pet_care/caring_for...   http://www.animalsheltering.org/resource_library/magazine_articles/mar_apr_2...     But I also remember that for many years HSUS had the position that it was more humane to euthanize parrots. --- On Tue, 7/27/10, Jonathan Harris wrote: From: Jonathan Harris Subject: Re: [Media-advisors] Fwd: Where are you? To: "Mickaboo media advisor team" , "Elizabeth Young" Date: Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 8:39 PM #yiv989823523 {font-family:Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-family:arial, sans-serif;background-color:#ffffff;color:black;}#yiv989823523 p{margin:0px;} Yes!!  Beautifully expressed, Elizabeth.  The LA Times piece was a disappointment. The tone was unmistakably eye-rolling, "only in San Francisco..." She did point out that the store owners seem to be using protect-our-pets rhetoric as a cover for protecting their profits, and she gave at least minimal acknowledgment of our core arguments. But I don't think readers really came away with an understanding of how serious the problem is.  What are we to think of Pacelle? Is he really this ignorant of US caged bird populations? Can he - of Oprah notoriety - be unaware of bird mills? Can he be so blind he failed to notice birds have wings? that they might need out-of-cage exercise? Or that they tend to live in flocks and might suffer without the company of their own kind? Does he not see the conditions under which most caged birds live out their lives in American households?  Underneath it all, does he consider birds inferior creatures to dogs or cats? Or is he, as Vinny suggests, just being a politician, willing to deal the little ones out (for now, he might say) in order to win the fight over dogs and cats?  Unless he's completely cynical (and evil) there's got to be a certain amount of denial involved, some willful. Gotta keep shoving his face in the facts. We can't let him hide behind some general pronouncement (masquerading as wisdom) about "winnable" fights. Force him to come clean about his rationalizations.  Jonathan -----Original Message----- From: Elizabeth Young Sent: Jul 27, 2010 8:50 PM To: Mickaboo media advisor team Subject: [Media-advisors] Fwd: Where are you? I just got mad and wrote this. Thought I'd share with you.   I've asked Mira to forward this to Wayne.   Hmph. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Elizabeth Young Date: Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 5:45 PM Subject: Where are you? To: Wayne Pacelle Cc: Mira Tweti , Tammy Azzaro , Michelle Yesney , Philip Gerrie Dear Wayne,   I've been such a big fan and supporter of yours and I so appreciate all the whirlwind of good you've been doing all over the country and the world for animals (and for us people when we have sense enough to realize it).  I even cheered your effort with Michael Vick.  That took real guts and vision.   But where are you now for all the many unwanted pets in San Francisco?  I never dared dream so big that SF might consider banning the sale of pets but when that opportunity came along, me and other completely overwhelmed and overworked animal rescue VOLUNTEERS jumped at the chance to fight this David & Goliath battle.  With all the overwhelming amount of work we're already doing on behalf of unwanted birds and animals in SF, we've taken on still more to help this measure gain strength and attention.    We know we're facing astronomical odds, but we're taking on the challenge in the hope that we can not only help the unwanted and abandoned and facing-euthanasia pets of SF but elsewhere as this planted seed begins to grow.   But where are you?  So far, I've read a recommendation from the HSUS that cockatiels and budgies and other small birds continue to be sold!  Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue was STARTED 15 years ago to help all the thrown-away cockatiels!  We've had to grow with the demand and now serve everything from finches and doves to cockatoos and macaws and everybody in between. We currently have more than FIFTY cockatiels alone in foster care waiting for good adopters and so many more would-be-surrenderers that we've had to impose a moratorium on intake.  We do NOT think these smart, sensitive birds are good choices to be sold when there are SO many already out there in need of good homes.  Their life spans are 20-30 years.  They are disposed of in hordes- just check craigslist or the Ebay classifieds.   And then, the next thing, I read your quote in Maria La Granga's LA Times article.  Great.  So we don't even have the support of the HSUS.   Well, Wayne, you've been a leader in many, many of these fights but you're bringing up the rear in this one.  Personally, I really wish you'd catch up and help us.   We and all these many homeless pets could use the support.  If San Francisco, the city of Saint Francis, can't be a sanctuary city for pets, where in America will be?   Thanks for all that you do and please- do a little bit more.   Sincerely, Elizabeth Young, Mickaboo Volunteer -- 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 -- 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 -----Inline Attachment Follows-----