March 12, 2003

Ms. Pat Beyle, President
APS Board of Directors
Animal Protection Society of Orange County
1081 Airport Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Dear Pat:

It is with deep regret that I feel I must resign from the Board 
of Directors of the Animal Protection Society of Orange County.

I find it impossible to continue to serve with the current 
leadership of the Board and of the Shelter who are more 
interested in their own agendas than they are in the animals and 
the organization.  During the fourteen years I have been a 
volunteer and the time spent on the Board serving as both  Vice 
President and as Secretary, I have been proud to say I was 
affiliated with the APS.  However, that feeling of pride has 
disappeared.

I almost joined the two Board members who resigned in February, 
but I thought I would stay and perhaps play a part in making some 
positive changes.  I soon found this was not to be.

I am still naive enough to believe one can deal with one's fellow 
human beings in an honest and forthright manner.  I do not choose 
to remain on the Board and risk having that naivete destroyed.

With regret,



Virginia T. Ellington

________________________________________________________________

April 10, 2003



HSUS Animal Services Consultations
RE:  Orange County, NC Consultation
2100 L Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037

Gentlemen:

Regarding the Animal Protection Society of Orange County's 
operation of the Animal Shelter, it might be well to consider why 
in fifty-one days (between February 10 and April 2, 2003) four 
members of the Board of Directors resigned.  These four made up 
almost one third of this fifteen member Board.

Board meetings are conducted in an atmosphere of distrust, 
contention and at times mendacity rather than one of cooperation, 
compromise and honesty.  New ideas and suggestions for 
improvement of the Shelter are ignored.  If they don't originate 
with Executive Director Laura Walters, Board President Pat Beyle 
or Board member Ann Petersen they aren't even considered.

Walters has complete autonomy in operating the Shelter and is not 
held accountable for anything by the Board.  In fact the Board 
has little understanding of the financial records, number and 
disposition of animals,  membership lists and other aspects of 
the Shelter's overall operation.  Whatever Walters tells them is 
accepted with little or no questioning.

The staff is hard working and dedicated to the animals.  The 
appearance of the Shelter has been improved during Walter's 
administration, but other than these two facts,  there is nothing 
positive I can say about either the Executive Director or the 
Board.  Their inability to handle the more delicate public 
relations problems which have arisen (due mostly to their 
ineptness and high handed manner) has led to months and months of 
attacks from various members of the public and press.  Of course 
the animals are the ones who pay for this fiasco because of the 
time, effort and thought devoted to making excuses, covering 
mistakes and answering the charges in the lawsuit.

My reason for writing this is to see if improvements can be made 
to the Animal Shelter, not to attack anyone.  This would have 
been my sixth year as a Board member having served as Vice 
President and, at the time of my resignation,  Secretary.  A copy 
of my letter of resignation from the Board of Directors is 
enclosed.

Sincerely,

Virginia T. Ellington