A witch hunt

Editor:

We are writing to tell you how distressed we were to read the Green Valley News’presumptuous article before Carol Halstead’s recent trial.

Carol is the owner of the Groom Shop on Calle de las Tiendas. She has groomed our 11-year-old Shih Tzu, Zoe, regularly since we moved here nearlythree years ago.

We also have boarded Zoe with Carol numerous times for periods ranging from a few days to a month at a time.

For boarding, Carol takes Zoe to her home, and we leave and pick her up at the Groom Shop.

We have found this arrangement to be very satisfactory. Zoe is treated with love, affection and good care. When we pull up to the Groom Shop for grooming or boarding, Zoe cannot wait to get out of the car and greet Carol.

Along with instructions for her care, we leave detailed instructions on how to contact our veterinarian if that should be necessary.

Carol has always followed our instructions to the letter and we have perfect confidence in her.

The original Green Valley News’ article, before Carol’s trial, in essence, tried her in the media.

Regardless of the outcome of the trial, the article was inflammatory, and potentially damaging to her reputation.

Further, the animal in question did not die while in Carol’s care, as state in the most recent Green Valley News’ article.

Our understanding is that the 14-year-old dog was euthanized by a veterinarian two days later, at the request of the owner.

As dog owners and lovers, we sympathize and understand the grief of the dog’s owners.

However, we believe that this has become a witch hunt, and that Carol is being made a scapegoat for reasons which far exceed the facts of the case.

Joan M. Logan, Maurine F. Audel, Green Valley