Animal Shelters

It is very heartening that the cities of Encinitas and Solana Beach have continued to protect our North County animal shelter. They have done this by continuing to require a 60-day advance notice from the Department of Animal Control if any animals from our shelter are to be sold to UC San Diego for experimentation.

At the City Council meetings in both cities, when the contract renewal was addressed, it was significant to note that not one member of the general public spoke in favor of rescinding the 60-day notice. Yet paid employees of the animal research industry showed up in force to argue for elimination of the clause that would protect our lost pets from silent transfer to their laboratories.

I hope that the city councils of Vista, Poway, Del Mar, San Marcos and Carlsbad will also stand up to the heavy pressure of the vested interests of vivisection in favor of the wishes of the community residents who are concerned about the safety and well-being of their pets. Because I am a registered nurse, I fully understand the importance of medical research. I also know full well that UCSD does not need to obtain research animals from the shelter system.

SANDRA BOSS

Encinitas