'20/20' RESPONSE TO SPCA

June 24, 2005 — -- On behalf of the SPCA of Texas ("SPCA-TX"), you have asked for an on-air apology and retraction of alleged misstatements that have been posted on your Web site (Click Here to View).For the reasons stated below, we respectfully decline.

At the outset, let us clarify the genesis of this broadcast. It came from talking to numerous animal owners around the country who felt that they had been treated unfairly, and had animals taken from them unnecessarily, due to the actions of various SPCAs. While the Report acknowledged that SPCAs do a lot of good work, we spoke with owners who claimed, as stated in the Report, that "when they'd gotten overextended in caring for their animals, the SPCA accused them of neglect, confiscated their animals and sold them within days. The SPCAs then keep the money." The Report allowed these people to voice their complaints while at the same time accurately presenting what transpired in the proceedings against them.

With regard to the specific points on your Web site, you indicate that the SPCA-TX was not involved in the first two cases presented in the broadcast. The Report did not suggest otherwise and indeed any cases involving SPCA-TX were specifically identified as such.

Regarding Renee Moore, you take issue with the statement from the Report: "Garcia used photos ... to convince reporters and justices of the peace that Renee had abused her animals." There, however, was nothing false about this statement since Dave Garcia in fact showed 8 photos taken at the SPCA-TX raid during the Moores' disposition hearing on January 21, 2004. The Report stated that veterinarians and others disagreed about whether those photos in fact demonstrated animal abuse and that the Moores' own vet who had examined the animals found no starvation, believed the Moores to be caring people and recommended a less draconian response than removing all of the Moores' animals. The Report then noted that the Moores lost in court. We find the Report's recitation of the facts neither inaccurate nor misleading and believe the Moores are entitled to express their opinions about the actions taken against them.

Regarding Lynda Williams, you complain about some the following statements: "Williams isn't even in a business that sells animals. She runs a shelter, rescuing old and sick dogs. The SPCA warned her, clean up your shelter or they'd charge her with animal neglect. She says she was nearly done when the SPCA trucks and TV cameras, lots of them, suddenly appeared. ... Garcia took all her animals and charged her $6,000 for vet and boarding fees. After a local justice of the peace ruled it was okay, the SPCA sold her most valuable animals." You first object that Ms. Williams holds no license to operate a sanctuary. While that may be so, she was never officially reprimanded for operating a sanctuary without a license and the fact that she took in and provided shelter for unwanted animals was well known within her community.