Dear Sir,
In reference to the article on the Animal Shelter article in the May 12-18 issue.
During your recent and past interviews with Mr. Geoffrey Kaye, he always conveys that he is the injured party. Is it any wonder when he continues to drive the wrong way down a one-way street and he is surprised that things come at him in the opposite direction?
As I recall he became involved with Anita and the Spay and Neuter group at “The Ranch.” A location near Chapala Haciendas. Then he decided to part ways with those folks and he accommodated dogs and cats in his new Animal Shelter – a commercial building on the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar. Later he moved the dogs to a building, near Car City, on the north side of the Carretera.
Sometime in June 2010 he announced that he had opened new quarters housing dogs and displaying the work of Lakeside’s finest artists. This building is/was part of Arden’s furniture and fronts the Carretera. The separate rear lot was residential and undeveloped, with a trailer located on it and fronted the Residential Calle Santa Margarita.
Sadly for the neighbors, Mr. Kaye decided to house his dogs on this residential lot.
The neighbors presented a complaint to Chapala City that it was a noisy and illegal business operation. In a compromise with the city (not the neighbors), Mr. Kaye agreed there would never be more than 9/10 dogs outside at night.
This promise has not been effective because the dogs are left unattended for more hours than they are supervised and the barking continues.
The mental stress caused to the neighbors is significant. Loss of potential rental income and property value has also been experienced.
Mr. Kaye’s reported answer to your reporter’s question about who started the complaining – “he knew that the shelter was there when he moved in” – is a fib. With the exception of one recently completed spec house, all the homes and neighbors in question have been around for some time.
Is Mr. Kaye serious when he indicated a possible relocation deal with Anita’s Animals? Then I am willing to contribute 5,000 pesos to facilitate this.
In closing, I am not a “dog hater.” I appreciate that there are no bad dogs, but there are bad dog owners.
Ceri Dando.
Calle Sanata Margarita