Will They Kill Them in the Night???

I just received this letter from Paul Bruce, a regional campaign coordinator of HSUS, the Humane Society of the United States, probably the largest humane/rescue organization in the US. He too says there is no need to kill the Santa Monica squirrels, that there are alternatives.

Mr. Muzika,

Hello. My name is Paul Bruce, with the Humane Society of the United States. My Director, Eric Sakach, forwarded your email (regarding Santa Monica squirrels) to me and asked that I contact you. I am somewhat familiar with the situation and know that this has been going on for some time now. It seems to me that we may have even written some letters about it several years ago. Sorry to hear that the Santa Monica City Council and County Board of Supervisors still insist on authorizing the use of such archaic methods to control the ground squirrel population. I will write a letter to the Council and other players condemning these methods and offering alternatives. I will also check with the biologists at our headquarters and see if they have any suggestions.

I hope this situation can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction (including the squirrels!) and I thank you for your concern and efforts on behalf of the animals.

Sincerely,
Paul Bruce

Paul E. Bruce, RVT
Regional Program Coordinator
Humane Society of the United States
Sacramento, CA 95841-7220
pbruce@hsus.org


There is significant and growing opposition to building the monstrous 24ft X 24 ft live traps at Palisades Park.

Therefore, it is my suspicion that the City of Santa Monica will do as it has done many times before, kill the squirrels with poison gas in the middle of the night. Of course, to do this, they will have to break the law and use unapproved poisons. But, Oh Well. Who cares?

I care, and I am submitting a Request for Public Documents to the City Manager and the head of Parks, Barbara Stinchfield (if she still is head) requesting immediate access to all documents, faxes and emails between the City of Santa Monica and any exterminating company or OTHER ENTITY, regarding services by the latter to kill (abate, reduce in number), the groundsquirrel population anywhere in Palisades Park. I am especially interested in the types of poison to be used and the dates when such services will be rendered.

I will secondarily request copies of all such documents, which I will publish on this blog.

Should they rush to judgment on this issue and kill the squirrels now, then I will request all documents, faxes and emails between the City Manager, the head of Parks, and the Mayor and Councilmembers, regarding the groundsquirrels in Palisades Park, as well any faxes or emails between any of these City officials and Joe Ramirez from the County.

I may then make a similar request to Zev Yaraslovsky and Jonathan Fielding of County Health.