OK, so maybe we have more than one problem, but this one can be handled easily.
Earlier this month, the MySweetCharity staff took a stand and walked out of an event in which puppies were being auctioned. While we did the right thing, there has been fallout. . . both good and bad.
The good . . . we know how you like good stuff. . . is that word spread like shoppers the weekend before Christmas that the auctioneering of puppies is verboten. When we say it spread, think Ebola virus only worse.
That’s also the bad side. Good intentions opened doors for people to vent their most gut-wrenching comments to and about the various people and groups involved via the social media. They came from area code 214- to Australia. Even our buddies Mike James at NewsBlues and cutie pie Teresa Gubbins at Pegasus News found out about it and posted it. (Editor’s note: We did not reach out to or cajole the PN or NB staff to post the news, even though we’re major-league groupies of the websites. They’re journalists who saw news in the puppy auction situation and its ramifications.)
One person in particular was singled out by the public: KDFW-CH. 4’s Clarice Tinsley. Yes, she was there. Yes, she was the evening’s emcee. Yes, she is a dear and loyal friend of the event organizers. Yes, she posted a photo of herself with one of the puppies. And. . . yes, she is a Nolan Ryan-caliber animal lover. Unfortunately, she has been pilloried like the worst of Salem on her Facebook fan page.
MySweetCharity’s elves have been double-dosing Maalox knowing that Clarice, who adores her cat Serenity, has been treated in such a way. Like so many people, Clarice didn’t know the auctioning of animals for charitable purposes was illegal. If you’re going to think badly of Clarice for not knowing, then damn (sorry about the foul language) the majority of people in Dallas who were also ignorant of this ordinance. Those of us who knew of the law are guilty of not making an all-out effort to spread the word. Those of us who didn’t know now have no excuse.
Let’s stop venting anger and concentrate of making Dallas a no-kill city. The latter is a tough assignment, but it’s do-able.
KW says
Amen.
Susie Addison says
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, for the “Dallas, We’ve got a Problem” article! Can you provide me with the Dallas ordinance making auctioning of animals for charitable purposes illegal?
Sincerely,
Susie Addison
Events Manager
CASA of Collin County
[email protected]
Jeanne Prejean says
@Susie: Here’s the link (http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Texas/dallas/volumei/chapter7animals?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:dallas_tx$anc=JD_7-7.6) for the following Dallas city ordinance
SEC. 7-7.6. ANIMALS AS PRIZES, PROMOTIONS, AND NOVELTIES.
A person commits an offense if he sells, exchanges, raffles, auctions, or gives away or offers to sell, exchange, raffle, auction, or give away any live animal as:
(1) a prize;
(2) an inducement to enter a place of amusement or a business establishment; or
(3) an inducement to participate in a charitable fund- raising event. (Ord. 27250)
Jonnie England says
You’re so right, Jeanne. Clarice didn’t solicit the puppies for auction, and she wasn’t the breeder who provided them. And, as you said, like pretty much everyone in attendance, she didn’t know auctioning live animals is illegal in Dallas. But now they and many more DO know. Those poor puppies weren’t the first to be put up for bid like a designer handbag and piece of jewelry, but hopefully they will be the last.