Action Alert: Radio Station is auctioning off a PUPPY!

Folks, please read and share. I could barely believe what I was reading this morning when the first of several emails arrived relative to an upcoming auction being held by a radio station, namely The River 106.3. This is a station that has been one of my favorites, until today, I should say.

One of the items being sold to the highest bidder is a Maltese/Bichon male puppy, "valued at $450" according to their site. The promotion for his auction listing states this male pup was born on 07/25/2010 yet has only received two boosters. The first line reads: "Bid on a Maltese Bichon puppy!"

This is troubling on several levels. I'll list them in no particular order:

1) The radio station has, in the past, appeared to be kind to man's best friend, by spotlighting featured dogs available at local shelters, pounds and rescues, an effort which we appreciate and thank them for on behalf of the animals. However, by offering a live creature, the lone puppy, up for auction with a list of tangible items leaves this author scratching her head as they appear to be doing an about face and participating in the exploitation of animals. We were advised that last year, a similar auction by this station included a live animal, was held. Please see the auction listing at http://www.ask4direct.com/promo1/wcdk . If you go directly to the radio station's website, you will need to turn off the pop up blocker to view the auction items. http://www.1063theriver.com/?pid=38925 . I may have missed it, but I do not see what the proceeds of this auction are intended to be raised for. All it states is "The Great Radio Auction".

2) The Appalachian Ohio SPCA, Inc. had to intervene this spring to save the life of a 3 year old pb German Shepherd (GSD) that had been sold as a puppy, by the very pet store that is donating the pup up for auction. The GSD was sold to a family of five (5) that resided in a small 1950's trailer for the total sum of $833 which included a "puppy kit", according to the receipt which was furnished to us. When we inquired as to the ages of the children living in the home, neither mom, nor dad was certain. The 100# dog lived in a crate in the kitchen, was very unsocialized, as the family rarely had visitors. A neighbor, and board member of a local HS, had arranged for the dog to be taken to the Jefferson County Dog Pound for the sole purpose of putting it down (heartstick, we were told by a humane agent there), after the family asked for assistance in rehoming the dog. The family was moving to a rural area in another county, and was afraid the dog might harm or kill livestock since it was not accustomed to be outside the trailer except to potty on a chain. We found out by chance only the day before the dog was to be put down and stepped in to prevent him from going to the dog pound. The dog, named Boxy, is now guarding maximum security inmates for the Commonwealth of Virginia for the Department of Corrections. I'm sure Boxy is just waiting for the chance to "bite and hold", as he was a very angry young dog living in that environment. More troubling is that he may have been sold, then returned to the pet store prior to having been sold to this family. Fortunately, there was a safe haven for him to go where he can do what he apparently would enjoy... bite someone if given a chance. I'm sure he would have preferred not to have been sold by a pet store for the almighty dollar to a family that obviously had no ability to own him as evidenced by lack of intelligence of the breed, requirements of sufficient space to house such a large animal, and/or ability to provide socialization skills to the animal. They were, however, able to pull out their pocketbook and walk out with a dog, just like someone is going to be able to do by being encouraged to be the high bidder on this puppy offered at auction;

3) There is a ballot initiative in Ohio to ban the auctioning of dogs in this State. Many people are working tireless to obtain the signatures, the first step in making it the law. Please see www.banohiodogauctions.com. While you are there, kindly contact them to arrange to sign the petition if you have not already done so; and

4) AKC states dog auctions and raffles are not in the best interest of purebred dogs and is not an appropriate means to buy, sell or trade purebred dogs. Their legislative position statement is also found on a link at www.banohiodogauctions.com and this particular dog is the product of two purebred dogs, the mix commonly called a "designer" breed in order to obtain more money for it.

Therefore, I ask you all to contact the radio station and ask them to refrain from auctioning off live animals in their upcoming auction and all subsequent auctions. I also ask you to share this note with all your facebook friends, as well as all of those that care about the welfare of the animals. The contact information is below:

106.3 The River

Judy Vavrek, Station Manager

2307 Pennsylvania AvenueWeirton, WV 26062

Email: jvavrek@1063theriver.com

Phone: (304) 723-1444

Fax: (304) 723-1688

I'd like to think that the radio station simply used some bad judgment in offering this pup to the highest bidder, however, if they, in fact, did the same last year, I do see a pattern establishing.

If they are unwilling to remove a live animal from the auction, you might want to mark your calendar for Thursday, November 18 (bidding starts at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 20 beginning at 8:06 a.m. until auction end and call the bid number (304) 723-1444 and voice your protest of the auctioning of animals. It would just take a few minutes to make one call. Please, do it for the animals that are exploited in this manner.

The station manager was not in today, but I left a message asking for a return phone call. We will request they not offer this puppy or any other live animal to the highest bidder at auction. If after relaying my concerns nothing has changed, I will be pressing the "unlike" button on their facebook page, for sure. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Weirton-WV/1063-The-River/96522771702

Robin McClelland

Appalachian Ohio SPCA, Inc.

P.O. Box 163

Scio, OH 43988

(740) 945-1379

Email: aospca@frontier.com

Puppy being auctioned to highest bidder by radio station, ugh!