Letters
From Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW)

We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.

Table of Contents

2026

• "STOP THE NYS PHEASANT HUNT" - NY DAILY NEWS - October 15, 2026
• Blaming Animals for Less Construction - August 23, 2026
• Stop the NYSDEC Pheasant Hunt - August 6, 2026
• Selling marine life short to sell snacks - July 23, 2026
• Rarely Seen Facts About Hunting - June 8, 2026
• Wildlife Crossings Save Human and Animal Lives - May 29, 2026
• PLEASE USE COMPASSIONATE LANGUAGE FOR ANIMALS - May 12, 2026
• Silent victims - April 5, 2026
• LETTER: Principal Removed Cat Shelter During Snowstorm - NY Post - March 7, 2026
• We don’t need to kill animals for the classroom - February 22, 2026

2025

• PUBLISHED LETTER RE: GREENBURGH AGAIN REFUSES KINDNESS 4 ANIMALS SIGN - December 17, 2025
• Don't Insult Chickens - December 1, 2025
• Senator Harckham introduces Crossbow bill - Remember at voting time - October 31, 2025
• Animal Defenders Founder Responds to Judge’s Deer Hunting Column - October 30, 2025
• EDITORIAL:  Casino Should Ban Horseracing - Westchester Rising - September 23, 2025
• Any upgrade to animal rights should be welcome - July 15, 2025
• Time to end Cruel Rodeos - May 14, 2025

2024

• Our courts treat animals like they aren't alive - August 14, 2024
• Brutal Entertainment - June 15, 2024
• Westchester Residents Sign Letter Objecting to Bow Hunting Deer at Rockefeller State Park - May 20, 2024
• Westchester Village urged to use Humane, non-lethal Deer and Wildlife Management - May 17, 2024
• Selling Speed - April 27, 2024
• Thank you NYS for enacting the Wildlife Killing Contest Ban - January 14, 2024

2023

• Thank you for using the humane Havahart device - November 6, 2023
• End New York's sport killings of local wildlife - October 30, 2023
• Lanternfly hysteria is over-hyped fearmongering - September 19, 2023
• Making a 'Contest' Out of Killing Wild Animals is Beneath Us - August 24, 2023
• A Ballot Initiative To End Horse-Drawn Carriages? - July 15, 2023
• No Bull - April 14, 2023
• Thanks to Eric Schoen re 'animals are people too' - 5 March
• Where Was the Veterinarian? - 4 March
• Bull-crap sport - 6 January

2022

• Big Pharma Demonizes Animals in Ads to Sell Drugs - 6 October
• Heartless Hart - 13 August
• Westchester Airport Wildlife Mitigation - 29 June
• Court gets it wrong on Happy the Elephant's release - 19 June
• Stop NYS Canned Hunting of Pheasants - 14 April

2021

• Is the Daily News getting visits from puppy mill lobbyists? - 21 December
• The Lesson They're Not Teaching in Schools - 15 October
• Carriage horse and driver aren't a 'team' - 22 September
• Exposing Animal Suffering in Labs - 21 August
• Wildlife Defender - 27 June
• Show Respect for Wildlife - 25 June
• Jeffrey Mack: Fish and Wildlife Department does not represent me - 4 May
• Apex predators - 4 May
• The NY Legislature should pass the Puppy Mill Pipeline Act - Here's why - 16 April
• Including Animal Compassion in 2021 - 8 January

2020

• Innocent victims - 31 December
• Sport hunting isn't 'badass' - 12 November
• Grabbing a bite - 4 August
• Don't Insult Dogs - 30 June
• Quit horsing around - 22 May
• Greenburgh must enact a puppy mill ban - 28 February
• Negligent Westchester politicians should ban circuses - 14 February
• Don’t smear proud pigs as pervs - 11 January

2019

• Response to Russell LaValle - 6 October
• Clinging to the status quo regarding animals - 27 September
• Animal Kingdom - 16 September
• An MSG rodeo is just plain cruel - August 18
• No fur for Una - May 18
• Latimer, ban circuses, keep your word - January 17

2018

• Scales of Justice - December 19, 2018
• Let the punishment fit the crime - December 14, 2018
• Animal crackers, Rockefeller State Park and deer - September 14, 2018 and September 21, 2018 Response
• We're all animals - May 25, 2018
• Living with Coyotes - May 2, 2018
• Hunters and Wildlife - April 27, 2018
• Exaggerating and sensationalizing one human-coyote interaction is not helpful to humans or coyotes - March 30, 2018
• Weaponless hunting - March 20, 2018
• The hunt for sanity - March 15, 2018
• Close the Circus Down - February 23, 2018
• Ban circuses in Westchester - January 4, 2018

2017

• Westchester legislators fail to protect animals - November 1, 2017
• Fishing compassion - October 16, 2017
• Art and Animal Rights at the Guggenheim - October 4, 2017
• Don't let hunters control DEC conservation fund advisory board: Letter - 6 September, 2017
• 'Don't Scapegoat Wildlife' - August 28, 2017
• Pro-wildlife citizens deserve seat at DNR's table - August 1, 2017
• Coyotes in Westchester - July 21, 2017
• This ‘rodeo’ is abusive - June 26, 2017
• Why are hunters the only advisers for DEC? - May 30, 2017
• Murderous Language - April 19, 2017
• Public finally turning against circus cruelty - February 14, 2017
• Dog's worst enemy - February 7, 2017

2016

• Letter to the Editor - Airport's bird control plans are costly, cruel, wildlife activist says - December 5, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Wildlife Deserves Our Respect - 18 October 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Sticks, stones and words - 19 September 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Airport needs humane wildlife control - September 6, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Demeaning chipmunks to expand readership is pathetic - July 20, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Animal Neglect - TV Commentators - include justice for animals on your shows - July 19, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Gorilla's shooting is no laughing matter - June 8, 2016
• Thank you Letter to ADOW from an Activist - May 28, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Harambe shouldn't have been slaughtered - June 3, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - We have encroached on their habitat, not the other way around - May 22, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - War on wildlife - April 28, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Devolution - February 21, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Protest Against Hanneford Circus in Westchester - February 15, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - DEC not fulfilling their intended role - January 26, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Total animal liberation or bust - January 16, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - More transparency needed before DEC culls - January 9, 2016
• Letter to the Editor - Deer will be killed to save plants? - January 8, 2016

2015

• Letter to the Editor - Be kind to animals
  December 11, 2015
• Letter to the Editor - Don't blame deer for our own problems
  December 9, 2015
• Letter to the Editor - A fellow animal
  August 30, 3015
• Letter to the Editor - Wasting lives and dollars
  July 13, 2015
• Letter to the Editor - Stop blaming, demonizing animals
  July 5, 2015
• Letter to the Editor - Who's the invasive species?
  April 23
• Electrocuting a greyhound who isn't winning enough races?
  April 15
• Letter to the Editor - No Choice
  March 29
• Letter to the Editor - Wildlife deserves to live here, too
  March 20
• Letter to the Editor - Animal cruelty is not entertainment
  January 30
• Letter to the Editor - Horse Nonsense
  January 13

2014

• Letter to the Editor - Cruelty crosses lines
  21 Nov 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Inhumane to Nonhumans
  13 Oct 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Bad Bramhall
  29 Aug 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Humane Nature
  25 Jul 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Don't scapegoat geese
  18 Jul 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Torture on city streets
  17 June 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Bots help us be better to birds
  16 May 2014
• Letter to the Editor - They free horses, don’t they?
  17 March 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Circuses and Animals A Bad Mix
  17 February 2014
• Letter to the Editor - Hard times for horses
  1 February 2014
• Letter to the Editor about Westchester's "Rising Star" Senators
  24 January 2014

2013

• Modernize methods for owl control 16 Dec 2013
• Don’t scapegoat city turkeys! 28 Nov 2013
• Inciting Animal Anger - 1 Sep 2013
• Don't use geese to fill up the food bank - 8 Aug 2013
• Popularity Contest for Poop? 28 July 2013
• Living Longer Than Meat Chompers 10 Jul 2013
• Hot Dog Letters in the NY Daily News 10 Jul 2013
• Plenty of options for control of geese 5 Jun 2013
• Be kind to animals 23 May 2013
• Rye, NY Considers Bow Hunting 'Cull' 28 Apr 2013
• Humane Treatment for Canada Geese 7 Sep 2012
• 'Duck Killers' 11 May 2013
• Dumb Chums 4 Apr 2013
• Heroes respect animals 22 Feb 2013
• Horses Were Abused for TV Show 8 Jan 2013

2012

 

• Shunning the Running of the Bulls 11 Jul 2012
• The Reality of TV Programming 25 Mar 2012
• Unfunny Business 26 Feb 2012
• School for Scandal 12 Sep 2012
• Hats off to the Kentucky Derby 2 May 2012
• I worked in the horse racing industry 21 Apr 2012
• Dogs and SeaWorld 19 Feb 2012

2011

• No work for animals 13 Dec 2011
• Before you take a carriage horse ride 11 Sep 2011
• The right to purchase 27 Mar 2011
• Feeding a Misconception 4 Aug 2011

1993 - 2006

• "First soldiers, now a few birds" - 8 Nov 2006
• Racing is bad for horses and humans  - 6 Nov 2006
• Offensive fowl - 21 Oct 2006
• Farm loans ought to be sustainable - 20 Oct 2006
• Control population without violence - 18 Oct 2006
• Another horse dies - 11 Oct 2006
• Mouse-breeding facility inhumane - 28 Sep 2006
• 'Peta's in a hoof' - 25 Sep 2006
• Local foie gras laws are easier to enact - 7 Sep 2006
• ANIMAL FABRICS ONLY SCREAM CRUELTY - 16 Aug 2006
• Helping public, wildlife co-exist - 13 Aug 2006
• It's not just China - 8 Aug 2006
• Dog Exercise - 7 Aug 2006
• Letter from Andrea - 4 Aug 2006
• Hunters efforts to 'save' animals is self-serving - 18 Jul 2006
• Don't exploit animals through rodeos - 30 Jun 2006
• Bullriding is a cruel sport - 27 Jun 2006
• Bull Riding Harms Animals - 26 Jun 2006
• Foie-gras company doesn't deserve funds - 20 Jun 2006
• Hey Steinbrenner - act ethically - 19 Jun 2006
• The lies flow - 6 Jun 2006
• Reform needed in racing methods - 5 Jun 2006
• Horse racing is cruel - 3 Jun 2006
• Furry Straphangers - 30 May 2006
• Saddle Sadism - 27 May 2006
• Why wasn't Barbaro checked - 24 May 2006
• Break a Leg - 24 May 2006
• Investigate horse racing - 24 May 2006
• The Tragedy of Barbaro - 22 May 2006
• Horse Racing - 22 May 2006
• Sport of sadistic kings - 22 May 2006
• Mean streets of NYC are no place for a horse - 17 May 2006
• Put a halt to U.K. foxhunting - 16 May 2006
• Sport of kings? - 12 May 2006
• Group should stop testing on animals - 6 May 2006
• Public Safety and Dangerous Dogs - 16 Apr 2006
• What more proof of cruelty is needed? - 3 Apr 2006
• Outrage over clubbing seals for their fur - 1 Apr 2006
• Letter from Georgia - 31 Mar 2006
• Sled dogs are shocked and whipped - 28 Mar 2006
• Ringling Abuse - 27 Mar 2006
• Rodeo 'holiday' in Arizona - 11 Mar 2006
• Letter from Gaurav - 11 Mar 2006
• Animal Atrocities - 7 Mar 2006
• Dirty little secrets behind circuses... - 22 Feb 2006
• ...Convincing evidence of abuse - 22 Feb 2006
• Don't love leather - 13 Feb 2006
• SUSPECT STATISTICS BASED ON SOURCE - 8 Feb 2006
• Letter asks for carriage horse advice - 26 Jan 2006
• There's no excuse for beating horse - 20 Jan 2006
• Letter from Lori - 17 Jan 2006
• Letter From Mindy About Horseracing - 12 Jan 2006
• CARRIAGE HORSE HITS CAR - 7 Jan 2006
• A Living Thing - 6 Jan 2006
• Don't Kill Bears - 2 Jan 2006
• Learn to co-exist with wildlife - 26 Dec 2005
• Don't purchase fur this holiday season - 14 Dec 2005
• Letter from Ellie about "Slaughter-house pig tries to escape" - 11 Dec 2005
• Free the elephants! - 7 Dec 2005
• Letter From Dana - 6 Dec 2005
• Slaughterhouse-bound pig tries to escape - 15 Nov 2005
• Letters re 'Time to cull deer' - 10 Nov 2005
• You may be wearing a dog - 18 Oct 2005
• No pet left behind - 27 Sep 2005
• Don't malign pigs - 25 Sep 2005
• Evacuation plans must include animals - 24 Sep 2005
• Stop eating birds - 21 Sep 2005
• On Nature Education - Sep 2005
• Park bear didn't deserve to die - 21 Aug 2005
• From Bernie about Mousie - 17 Aug 2005
• Don't exaggerate bear incident - 12 Aug 2005
• Letter Asks for Circus Advice - 12 Aug 2005
• 'Sounds fishy' - 3 Jul 2005
• Dog beating just horrible - 30 Jun 2005
• Eating animals is also cruelty - 16 Jun 2005
• Letter from Hanna - 30 May 2005
• BAN HORSERACING - 13 May 2005
• Animals have no choice in fighting or racing - 12 May 2005
• Animal lover losing patience - 10 May 2005
• Animal testing is unnecessary - 7 May 2005
• Rodeo letter-NY Newsday - 30 Apr 2005
• Rabbits shouldn't be sold as pets - 9 Apr 2005
• GIMME SHELTER - Mar 2005
• J.Lo should lose the fur - 10 Mar 2005
• Hanneford cited for violations - 4 Mar 2005
• A Visitor's Comment about Cock Fighting and Those Who Promote It - 19 Feb 2005
• "Rodeo is a way of life" - 9 Feb 2005
• No more rodeos - 9 Feb 2005
• Carriage Horse Letter - 5 Feb 2005
• Sled dog letter-METRO - 2 Feb 2005
• Petting Zoo - Horse Wagon - 14 Jan 2005
• Letter from a Hunter - 12 Jan 2005
• Animal testing doesn't ensure safety - 6 Jan 2005
• Letter from Tweeder, a Rodeo Buff - 30 Dec 2004
• Pet protection - 27 Dec 2004
• Transcript of an HBO Piece on Greyhounds - 16 Dec 2004
• Letter from Denice Re Horseracing - 11 Dec 2004
• Raising awareness about fur's cruelty - 3 Dec 2004
• Protective circle - 29 Nov 2004
• Pet owners need to neuter animals - 25 Nov 2004
• From Matt, a Bowhunter - 12 Nov 2004
• Anti-Bowhunting Campaign - 9 Nov 2004
• From a Hunter
• Story insulting to Thailand - 12 Oct 2004
• Letter from Ricky Bailey - 28 Sep 2004
• Dog Racing: Cruel Business - 5 Sep 2004
• Letter from Kara - 5 Sep 2004
• Unfair - 29 Aug 2004
• Verplanck - 28 Aug 2004
• Are Deer the Problem, or People? - 15 Aug 2004
• Dog on Subway - 12 Aug 2004
• Animal Cruelty - 2 Aug 2004
• Greyhounds deserve humane treatment - 28 Jul 2004
• Animal-abuse reaction of some 'sickening' - 27 Jul 2004
• KFC vs. PETA - 26 Jul 2004
• Dear Astoria: Your Stray Needs an Owner - 18 Jul 2004
• Fred the Furrier - 12 Jul 2004
• Fred the Furrier - 11 Jul 2004
• Teach Your Children - Jul 2004
• Deer lady paid harsh price for her principled stand - 26 Jun 2004
• Spend summer helping animals - 24 Jun 2004
• Outraged by Carson & Barnes - 22 Jun 2004
• From Mark and Heather about Nella - 7 Jun 2004
• Horse Racing - 15 May 2004
• Unsafe at any speed - 21 Apr 2004
• Nature's Best Pets - 21 Apr 2004
• Way to make a Buck - 18 Apr 2004
• Why not tell truth about Ringling Bros.? - 9 Apr 2004
• Those who endanger animals should pay - 9 Apr 2004
• Letter to Adam Buckman about Rodeos - 29 Mar 2004
• Cruelty to Bulls - 6 Mar 2004
• Protect the weakest - 4 Feb 2004
• Best Choice - 2 Feb 2004
• Mad Cow Disease - 22 Jan 2004
• THE BRUNT OF THE HUNT (KB) - 18 Jan 2004
• THE BRUNT OF THE HUNT (RE) - 18 Jan 2004
• THE BRUNT OF THE HUNT (RW) - 18 Jan 2004
• THE BRUNT OF THE HUNT (ALS) - 18 Jan 2004
• Hunter makes poor arguments - 31 Dec 2003
• Deer Hunting Editorial Impinges on Rights of Non-hunters - 20 Dec 2003
• Cruelty involved in making foie gras - 13 Oct 2003
• Two paws up - 28 Sep 2003
• Immoral to buy, sell animals - 30 Jul 2003
• Protect lobsters from pain if you must eat them - 11 Jul 2003
• Circuses must go - 4 Jul 2003
• Petting zoo cruel to Animals - 26 Jun 2003
• Paging Peta - 12 May 2003
• Animal testing doesn't help people - 3 May 2003
• Don't contribute to animal cruelty - 22 Mar 2003
• Don't support rodeos, abuse of animals - 6 Mar 2003
• Wounded crows would suffer in hard winter - 28 Jan 2003
• Cold Comfort - 28 Jan 2003
• Protest animal cruelty on TV - 28 Dec 2002
• Avoid products that use animal testing - 12 Nov 2002
• Bull Riding - 31 Oct 2002
• Factory farming is a tragedy - 2 Oct 2002
• USTA should stop sponsoring rodeos - 2 Sep 2002
• Rodeos are harmful to animals' health - 13 Aug 2002
• Kindly Act - 10 Jul 2002
• Volunteers lead charge for Animal Rights - 20 Jun 2002
• Shelter should adopt no-kill policy - 1 May 2002
• Don't contribute to animal experiments - 27 Mar 2002
• Eat Right - 6 Mar 2002
• Take up a sport that doesn't cause pain - 6 Mar 2002
• Circus can't defend cruelty to animals - 15 Feb 2002
• Hunting is no answer to deer overpopulation - 8 Dec 2001
• No need for meat at holiday table - 3 Dec 2001
• Drop that turkey - 20 Nov 2001
• Pigs don't litter - 8 Nov 2001
• WTC hero cares about all creatures - 29 Oct 2001
• Be kind to the animals - 8 Oct 2001
• Dogs have shown heroism, too
• The Exploitation of Farm Animals - 8 Sep 2001
• Send in the Clowns - 3 Aug 2001
• Natick should keep circus out - 16 Jul 2001
• Car ad promotes animal cruelty - 5 Jul 2001
• A rat's life - 24 Jun 2001
• What Do Circus Animal Acts Teach Our Children? - 28 Mar 2001
• Put the bacon down - 15 Feb 2001
• VEGETARIANS UBER ALLUS - 18 Jan 2001
• Don't Buy While Others Die - 16 Dec 2000
• The Horror on your plate - 7 Dec 2000
• Stable fire in North Salem - 14 Jul 2000
• 'Survivor'? Rats! - 22 Jun 2000
• Cruelty isn't funny - Jun 2000
• A faux pas - 29 Nov 1999
• Stung by U.S. troops who burned scorpions alive - 7 Jan 1993
• Show compassion for animals by avoiding circus