Dear Editor,
In January 2004, Santa Clara County Supervisor Donald Gage wrote a letter to the editor of the Gilroy Dispatch regarding an animal services needs study underway at the time and indicated that “once this study is published, I will make certain to share it with the Dispatch and welcome your comments”.
The Animal Services Needs Assessment Study was published in May of 2004 at a cost of $100,000. I have read this 103-page study. It very clearly states the recommendations that were predicated on animal population growth projections. This information supports the requirement and the enlargement of the shelter at a non-airport location in San Martin. In addition to many other much needed improvements, this new facility is also to include new technology and an increase in shelter personnel.
The community is still waiting for your comments, Supervisor Gage. Please inform this community of the plans regarding the new shelter, the new location and the date on which construction will commence. After all, isn’t this the reason why the study was made?
This community needs an animal shelter that has the continual capacity to provide sanctuary, life-saving, and life-giving care for the unwanted, abandoned, abused and neglected animals of south Santa Clara County. These animals have had more than their share of empty promises in their short lives.
In March 2006, the Gilroy Dispatch ran a story regarding the proposed 24-hour emergency care clinic for South County, which is greatly needed. This clinic has been unanimously supported by county supervisors as something that the South County most “certainly deserves”. Supervisor Gage said, “I am going to keep working to get what we need” and “it’s the right thing to do for South County.”
Supervisor Gage, it is the right thing to do. Please let us know when the doors will be open. It is a horrendous thing to have an animal in desperate need of emergency medical care in the middle of the night and to know that there are 30 or 40 miles between your pet and life-saving treatment. It is an even worse thing to not make it there in time.
I urge all concerned citizens to contact Supervisor Gage and County Executive Pete Kutras and ask them to focus their efforts on behalf of all of our animals in need.
Please ask Supervisor Gage to meet with all of South County representatives to address and enact universal animal care for South County and to combine these efforts in the relocation and construction of the new San Martin Animal Shelter and to finally open the doors of the 24-hour emergency animal clinic for South County.
Reach Supervisor Gage at 299-5010 in San Jose or 686-8742 in San Martin, or do******@********ov.org. Reach Executive Kutras: 299-5105 in San Jose or at pe*********@***********ca.us Please do this for the all of the animals as they depend completely on our good judgment for their very lives.
Evon Dumesnil, Morgan Hill
