Feel free to use the following letters as a starting point, in their entirety, or modify as you wish.
Honorable Justices
Oregon Supreme Court
1163 State Street
Salem, OR 97310
To the Honorable Justices:
I am writing to urge you to reconsider your recent decision not to review the case of Sean Roach vs. Jackson County in the matter of the dog Nadas.
I believe there are significant legal issues to be decided in this case, and it is also a case of considerable public interest.
1. Mr. Roach's dog was seized without a warrant while confined at Mr. Roach's residence.
2. The administrative hearing under which Mr. Roach's dog was condemned did not provide for due process of law.
3. The statute under which Mr. Roach's dog was condemned is vague in its interpretation of the term "chasing".
4. In implementation of this law , the burden of proof is not on the accuser, but instead is placed on the accused.
5. We the public are outraged that a government body can arbitrarily impose such a severe penalty which does not fit the nature of the infraction, and then cover up the issue by attempting to launch a public smear attack against the dog owner.
Such mean spirited action on the part of government diminishes public confidence in our legal system and does a great disservice to the state of Oregon.
Please review this case and visit these issues.
Sincerely yours,
<Your Name>
Governor John Kitzhaber
160 State Capitol
Salem, Oregon 97310
Dear Governor Kitzhaber,
I am writing to urge your intervention on behalf of Nadas who has been sentenced to die by the Jackson County Commissioners for allegedly chasing a horse. Although you have stated that you will not get involved because you do not believe you have the power to "pardon" an animal, I urge you to use your power to revoke the impoundment order that has resulted in Nadas being held by Jackson County Animal Control. Nadas was seized by Jackson County officials while on his owner's property, and was taken without a warrant. Under the law, you have both the power and the moral and legal obligation to correct this situation.
I will be boycotting business in Jackson County until you are able to resolve this matter. If you are unwilling or unable to work to free Nadas, I will have no choice but to extend the boycott to all of Oregon businesses and will both avoid travel to your state and recommend to others that they do the same.
Sincerely yours,
<your name>
Jackson County Commissioners
10 South Oakdale, Suite 200
Medford, OR 97501
To the Commissioners:
I am writing to urge you to immediately reconsider your decision to destroy Nadas and to permit non-lethal options such as adoption to be considered. Although I understand that you are refusing to do so on the urging of the ranch and cattlemen in your area, this action is short sighted on their and your part. Should this dog be destroyed, the public outcry will surely cause the law to change at the state level, resulting in a loss of your ability to deal with future situations locally . This will occur even for incidents where predators do damage to livestock.
Since Nadas did not cause any damage and was simply out running, which is what collies do (they are herding dogs by the way), he should not be killed. You are picking a battle with the wrong dog. Please diffuse this situation by immediately passing a revised ordinance giving you the opportunity to turn him over to one of the many adoption groups that has contacted you.
In the meantime I am forced to boycott all Jackson County businesses and refrain from any travel to your county, and I will be actively publicizing this boycott until you act to take the action indicated above.
Sincerely yours,
<your name>
Patti Bills, Executive Director
Medford Visitors and Convention Bureau
Dear Ms. Bills:
I am writing to you to urge you to contact your County Commissioners and strongly urge them to spare Nadas, who was sentenced to die by them for chasing a horse. Please be advised that I am cancelling my plans to attend the Shakespeare Festival and other events this coming year, and will no longer conduct business with Jackson County firms unless this situation is corrected. In addition I am urging other business acquaintances to avoid both visiting and doing business in your county.
Sincerely yours,
<your name>
<business name>