Leslie J. Eppick
I read with dismay the Dec. 12 column of Will Rogers, wherein he is
quite disparaging in his remarks regarding Mayor Dave Weaver's dog
adoption show he co-hosts with me bimonthly. While I am not surprised at
his sarcasm since it is always his general tone in any given column, I am
troubled as to why he would single out a pet adoption show to air his
laundry. Our shelter has been serving Glendale since 1923.
In the ensuing 77 years, to our knowledge, only two council members,
Larry Zarian and Ginger Bremberg (both of whom adopted dogs from us),
have visited the shelter. We seem to be the orphan child no one wants to
admit exists.
As long as people don't have to look at an animal's pleading eyes,
terrorized cries or listen to every excuse by irresponsible owners why
they no longer want their 10-year-old dog or cat, then jaded writers like
Rogers will haunt us.
Mr. Weaver, bless him, has aided the shelter more than we could
possibly describe. His television show has helped us adopt 96% of the
pets featured (well more than 1,000). He doesn't mind being scratched,
bitten, urinated upon or covered in cat fur. Off camera, he is warm and
gentle with those animals so frightened they cringe into a ball on the
floor. Their expressions toward him on camera is a reflection of his
kindness to them off camera.
It is my understanding council members are encouraged to televise
their special projects for the city but choose not to because they may
not be comfortable in front of the camera or have no time due to outside
employment. As for the "city not naming resurfaced streets, new
ordinances or other similar developments after the officials that
spearheaded them," streets, developments, etc., do not lose their lives
when the city runs out of room.
Politics aside, Mr. Weaver cares deeply about the shelter and if he is
not treated "like everyone else," he doesn't behave like everyone else.
At least he's trying to help homeless animals, which is more than Mr.
Rogers is doing.
* LESLIE J. EPPICK is the executive director of the Glendale Humane
Society.
