During a recent trip to White Plains, New York., where the March of Dimes is headquartered, PETA Campaign Coordinator Brandi Valladolid paid a visit to the home of March of Dimes President Jennifer Howse to see whether a pleasant chat over tea might soften the March of Dimes’ hard-line position on its funneling of millions of dollars into dreadful animal experiments. Jennifer wasn’t home, but Brandi’s visit didn’t go unnoticed.

Brandi left a friendly note on her doorstep, requesting a time when she and Jennifer might meet. PETA’s attorneys were taken aback when, a few days later, they received Jennifer’s RSVP, a melodramatic two-page letter from the March of Dimes attorney, referring to Brandi’s request as “a threat … actionable as harassment.” Amused, but at the same time disappointed at Jennifer’s refusal to enter into a peaceful dialogue, PETA’s attorneys penned a polite response, reminding the March of Dimes lawyer that “PETA is … an entirely peaceful organization dedicated to fighting violence against all animals, regardless of species. Indeed, it is Ms. Howse and the [March of Dimes]-funded experimenters who inflict violence on others and who have demonstrated a willingness to do harm to justify their positions. I respectfully suggest that your concerns are directed to the wrong party in this debate.”

Jennifer Howse Continues to Block the Channels of Communication
For years, PETA has protested March of Dimes funding of cruel animal experiments, in which vivisectors have sewn kittens’ eyes shut, implanted wires into the uteruses of pregnant monkeys, and administered cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol to pregnant rats. Pointing out that every dollar spent on outdated animal tests is one that could have been used to fund a national birth-defect registry or some other truly lifesaving project for babies, PETA has implored the March of Dimes to follow the lead of health charities such as Easter Seals and Birth Defect Research for Children, which help people without hurting animals. March of Dimes officials have covered their ears to PETA’s pleas as well as those from many of the March of Dimes’ own concerned corporate sponsors.

The correspondence between Brandi and Jennifer and their attorneys follows.

Brandi Valladolid's Note | Letter from MOD Attorney's | Letter from PETA's Attorney

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