"New Dogs in Town," a Santa Cruz dog service business, recently posted a video on YouTube featuring representatives from the pro-off-leash dog groups Live Oak Off-Leash Advocates (LOOLA) and Friends of Lighthouse Field (FOLF). The video also prominently features Melanie Sobel, General Manager of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter and Field Manager Todd Stusoy.
Beyond its one-sided presentation of the off-leash dog position, numerous factual inaccuracies and unsupported claims, the video implies endorsement of the off-leash position by Animal Services staff.
While the presentations by Animal Services staff do not explicitly endorse the off-leash dogs on the beach positions of LOOLA and FOLF, their presence does provide tacit endorsement of the video.
When contacted, General Manager Sobel indicated that "New Dogs in Town" producers told her that the video was for informational purposes only. Sobel subsequently sent out a press release (available at http://llascc.weebly.com/letters--articles.html) indicating that Animal Services staff had not been informed that the video would be used to promote the off-leash dog agenda.
The Animal Services press release thoroughly discredits the attempt by "New Dogs in Town" producers to associate Animal Services staff with the off-leash dog agenda.
LLASCC calls on "New Dogs in Town," LOOLA and FOLF to take down the video, delete the Animal Services staff interviews, or include a disclaimer that unambiguously states that Animal Services staff in no way endorse the video or its pro-off-leash contents.
Beyond its one-sided presentation of the off-leash dog position, numerous factual inaccuracies and unsupported claims, the video implies endorsement of the off-leash position by Animal Services staff.
While the presentations by Animal Services staff do not explicitly endorse the off-leash dogs on the beach positions of LOOLA and FOLF, their presence does provide tacit endorsement of the video.
When contacted, General Manager Sobel indicated that "New Dogs in Town" producers told her that the video was for informational purposes only. Sobel subsequently sent out a press release (available at http://llascc.weebly.com/letters--articles.html) indicating that Animal Services staff had not been informed that the video would be used to promote the off-leash dog agenda.
The Animal Services press release thoroughly discredits the attempt by "New Dogs in Town" producers to associate Animal Services staff with the off-leash dog agenda.
LLASCC calls on "New Dogs in Town," LOOLA and FOLF to take down the video, delete the Animal Services staff interviews, or include a disclaimer that unambiguously states that Animal Services staff in no way endorse the video or its pro-off-leash contents.
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