I work with many dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly and at their own expense to rescue cats from shelters all over southern Califonria, especailly Downey, a place that is infamous for euthanizing animals even when they are healthy and there is plenty of room for them. This last week alone, at least a dozen beautiful cats were killed by the butchers at Downey, even though there was plenty of room. A friend I know had arranged to rescue a cat named Ember and was on her way to pick him up. When she got there, she learned he was dead. I myself had arranged to adopt a boy named Elton, a beautiful tabby. The volunteers spent all night trying to leave messsages for the shelter to save him. They killed him anyway. I could go on with stories about cats brought in in laundry baskets, holding on to each other for dear life, only to die in each others paws. A beautoful family of gray counts, one boy and two girls, was summarily executed last week. It just goes on. Mark, please do all you can to support laws requiring spaying and neutering of pets and see if you can get to the bottom of why so many wonderful animals are being murdered at Downey. The LosAngeles County board of Supervisors refuses to answer emails and letters and to take responsbility for those doing the killing. We need answers so hopefully someone of your stature can get to the answers that some of us can’t.

The story does have its happy moments. From my pain over losing Elton, I discovered two other cats at Downey that needed help immediately a while partial Siamese named Timmy and a black cat named Sammy who was sick but whom I nursed back to health. I drove down to Southern CA to adopt these boys (even tho I am in the Bay Area) and welcomed them to my family. I couldn’t be happier. I can see the look of gratitude in their eyes when they crawl into bed with me and hear it in their soft purrs. I am attaching a picture of my boy Sammy – free from the tyranny of Downey and now safe forever with me – part of my family always.

— Don from Fremont, CA