LettersLetter from Barbara Keith about Informing the Public on Animal Cruelty- 12 Feb 2006
Letters From All-Creatures.org and The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation

Letter from Barbara Keith about Informing the Public on Animal Cruelty- 12 Feb 2006

How can we get this information out to the public? Unless you are involved with animal welfare as I am, you are not likely to see this on Firepaw. How do we go about getting this information and pictures in the hands of all Americans? Newspapers won't print it. Television won't broadcast it. Please tell us how to do this. I believe that 95% of Americans would be horrified by what the other evil 5% is capable of.  

Why can't ALL the different animal organizations, associations, rescues, shelters, etc., BAND TOGETHER AND FIGHT for the animals - there are so many of us. Is there a way a taskforce could unite us nationally? United we could make a difference! How can we UNITE Americans to tell every man and woman of these atrocities? We could have THOUSANDS of people protesting in EACH area of the country on the SAME day to create an impact and get media attention.  

Please help us find the answer as how to best inform the general public. Our numbers would be so strong, there would finally be a reckoning in this country. I beg you for an answer.

Barbara Keith

Reply from Frank and Mary Hoffman

Dear Barbara:

Thank you very much for writing and for your questions. We struggle with this issue every day, but over the last several years, we've become convinced that the internet is the way to inform people, and get around the media/advertiser problem.

At the present time we are getting nearly 200,000 hits a day to our animal exploitation section and nearly 600,000 hits to our web site. Also, our traffic has grown by a third since last year. Other animal rights/welfare groups have been noticing similar results.

About half of the visitors to our animal exploitation section are young people (under 20) and they are expressing their desire to help spread the word to their friends and family members. They are also writing reports and giving presentations on horrible things people do to animals, and from the reports we've been getting, it is getting through to many young people, which is the future voice of change.

The key, as you also realize, is to get the message to people in the general public. So far, the most effective approach has been the "shock therapy" of seeing the graphic violence. We need to be bold and present the truth in all its gory detail.

Unfortunately, we have found that many animal groups want to do their own thing, and not share the glory, which is one of the reasons, we don't have much. Your approach is right on, but we haven't been able to get the unified support.

So, this brings us back to grass roots efforts, particularly with the emphasis of getting our message to young people.

We are open to any ideas, and even more so to having volunteers to help with the effort.

We hope this helps.

In the Love of the Lord,

Frank and Mary


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