[Vision2020] Daily News: A Global Petition for the UI President (10/26/2016)

Thu Oct 27 07:01:56 PDT 2016

When I read the DN report on the rude reception Dr. Staben gave the young woman who presented the petition I was disgusted.  Two things stood out to me: he treats people according to what he perceives their usefulness (financial or political support) might be and his boorish indifference to the concerns of his constituents is  an embarrassment to the institution. He has contributed in overloading UI with senior (and expensive) administrators while demonstrating indifference to faculty and staff needs.  Sadly, the University of Idaho has suffered a long run of less than distinguished presidents among which he may well be the leader of the pack.

Rose Huskey

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Saundra Lund
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2016 12:58 AM
To: 'Moscow Vision 2020'
Subject: [Vision2020] Daily News: A Global Petition for the UI President (10/26/2016)

Visionaries:

Wow – over 10,000 signatures condemning the UI’s Dr.Peter Autenried (aka Dr. Death) and his Killing Cabal in Facilities for their ghastly and secret actions trapping & killing countless animals, including the use of a Rubbermaid trash can purchased from WalMart to inhumanely gas an unknown number of campus kittens and cats prior to euthanasia.  

I don’t know how many signatures were collected at the Farmer’s Market, but out of the 10,348 (and counting) signatures collected via the Change.org petition <https://www.change.org/p/stop-trapping-and-killing-free-roaming-cats> , it looks like around 800 were from Idaho.  Sometimes, Idaho seems stuck in the 20th century, but this is an instance when many good people from around the state are demanding a humane 21st century solution to a 20th century issue.

How gracious of Pres. Staben to give 15 minutes of his time to listen to the concerns of so many students, faculty, staff, alum, and community members from around the state.

Following the Daily-News article below is the link to a heartwarming KHQ news story yesterday that aired a few short hours after the petition was presented to Pres. Staben.  The story is about a woman named Grace in Coeur d’Alene whose kitty Catniss was missing for five months – Catniss somehow made it from CdA to Post Falls before being found and reunited with Grace.  On Grace’s birthday, no less  J

I’m so grateful Catniss didn’t find herself on the UI campus where she would have secretly disappeared without a trace into an incinerator after being trapped, gassed, and killed.  And it would have literally been without a trace because Autenried failed to keep even the most basic of records as required by  AVMA professional standards.  

While I suspect there are other veterinarians less qualified to asses cats, Autenried’s flatly ignorant comments certainly place him near the bottom of that pack.  That part of horror is personal for me:  you see, a few years ago, my then-16-year-old treasured kitty managed to escape the house and was missing for nearly 24 hours before my wonderful neighbors located her in their back yard.  Jasmine was old and skinny and had some of the typical old kitty – and people -- health issues like (treated) hypertension and sarcopenia.  Jasmine had lived with me – inside my home – since she was a tiny kitten of about 8 weeks.

In spite of all of that, Jasmine was pretty freaked out for a couple of days afterwards – she even had a seizure that first night back.  Based on their own words, there’s no doubt had Dr. Death & the Killing Cabal “assessed” her after the trauma of being lost for less than a day and then trapped, they would have quickly labeled her “feral” and killed her without a second thought.

Qualified veterinarians experienced with feline behavior recognize that traumatized cats – and being trapped qualifies as “trauma” – can take hours to days to weeks to recover, and you certainly cannot asses temperament within minutes of the trauma as was done by the UI. Not only does Autenried not fall into the “qualified and experienced” category, he’s dangerous and he’s a liability to the UI because he fails to recognize what’s beyond his area of expertise (research animals).

He is baggage that should have been left at the University of South Dakota, and he is baggage that needs to be disposed of from the UI immediately.

The University of Idaho’s Moscow campus is picturesque and has provided a place for peaceful contemplation for me for nearly 30 years since I arrived as a student in the fall of 1989.  Part of the charm of the campus for me as been the wildlife on campus whether watching the squirrels play on the Admin lawn, watching birds all over campus, being greeted by friendly “vermin” campus cats, spotting the occasional rabbit or skunk or beaver in the more remote parts of campus, or admiring the cows and horses and sheep over the years.

Since the horrifying details of the UI’s move to kill everything that offends it have come out, my peaceful refuge has been destroyed.  Being on campus is disturbing now when I naturally think about the inhumane treatment the animals I’ve enjoyed were secretly subjected to.  That inhumane treatment was as a direct result of an unacceptable nightmarish “vermin control” plan designed, and it was carried out by incompetent people in violation of the UI’s own policies, in violation of city law, and in violation of humane and responsible stewardship where lethal measures are used as a last – rather than a first -- resort.

UI Alum, Faculty Spouse, and 28-Year UI Community Member,

Saundra Lund

Moscow, ID

Unless he extends the circle of compassion to all living creatures, man himself will not find peace.

~ Albert Schweitzer

http://dnews.com/local/student-gives-staben-signatures-to-stop-euthanasia/article_8d0381d9-8e39-524a-9b16-99c1d32071ff.html

http://www.khq.com/story/33481980/cat-missing-for-months-returns-on-owners-birthday

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