Warning bells are ringing again regarding the group calling itself Pets and People and members Pat Gonser, Mary Johnson and Beverly Greenwood.  Their 'Assistance Dog' program has become highly suspect and Beverly Greenwood is one of the  infamous Lil Bit 'O Heaven 'rescue' in Ovett, MS, that has relocated to Meridian, MS, and is now part of the Pets & People organization.  Only the name has changed.

Exposure to public scrutiny is much greater in a city the size of Meridian, compared to nearly non-existent in Ovett. With "Poogie's Page" (http://www.geocities.com/poogie_0) so well known, and the majority of offices and government officials now on the internet, reports and /or complaints we receive  regarding the Pets & People's "Rescue" facility in Meridian we are  increasing.

Pat Gonser is the Administrative Director of Pets & People, Mary Johnson her associate, and Beverly Greenwood is running their "hospice".

"Poogie's Page" has a guest book where readers may leave comments and Pat Gonser has been contacting these people  from their e-mail addresses in the guest book threatening to include them in a pending lawsuit for libel and slander.

Libel and slander are civil matters.  However,  libel and slander do not exist if what is said is true.  But they are good words to throw around if one wants to intimidate.

Recently there have been reports that Beverly Greenwood, Mary Johnson, Pat Gonser, and their group Pets & People, are now trying to acquire Labrador Retrievers and/or Golden Retrievers and Irish Setters over the internet, ostensibly as part of their "Pets & People" program.  They are offering a tax receipt in exchange for the donation of these dogs.

On July 28, 2001, a letter purporting to be from Pat Gonser, was forwarded to a private dog rescue internet list called HeroMail.  A direct quote from the letter about the appalling conditions at their P&P animal "hospice" said, " I know about this, it is a total lie.  The problem has never existed,  will never exist, and is complete slander.  Please go look at our true  response http://www.petsandpeople.org/response.html."  (Quote printed here with permission of HeroMail list owner)

Mary Johnson's comments on this response page are creative but without merit.  The events documented on Poogie's Page OCCURRED and have been VERIFIED and yet Greenwood/Gonser/Johnson feel they can dismiss everything as lies, offer NO proof to the contrary, and expect to be believed.

The Problem that "has never existed":

In late July we learned that citizens of Meridian were making complaints regarding the house at 6181 Hwy. 19 North.   (This is a house owned by Pat Gonser and the one in which she had lived prior to moving out of state.)  It is reported that conditions now are such that "the neighbors are talking about moving".

On 8/14/01 one horse died and had to be buried by the county.  Reports are that other animals are near death also. The county is still close but has not adopted an ordinance as of yet. The health department has stated there is nothing they can do. There have been people there and arguments ensued over the animals.  Whether these were welfare representatives or just concerned citizens is not confirmed.  This would  have been their first contact with anyone like these people and they had been warned about their attitudes.

They have returned cows to the stock yard for sale  The Meridian Stock Yard took some of their cows, but these stock yards are where the horses came from.   The phone number for the Stock Yard is  (601) 482-7275.  The mailing address is:  Meridian Stock Yard at 49th Avenue South, Meridian, MS, 39302.

 seperate organization is renting the Stock Yard to have these sales and Greenwood bought these horses for approximately forty dollars each.

One citizen of Meridian said, "I can't believe this sort of thing is happening and am ashamed that I did not know about it by now."

Dogs reported to have severe behavorial problems are being sold as "service dogs" by this group to disabled persons.  The writer has been contacted by several of these people and has been shown conflicting correspondence from Pat Gonser on the whys and wherefores of what went  wrong with the dogs.  It may not be prudent to buy, sell or dontate a service dog to this organization.  As stated elsewhere in this document, they are offering tax receipts in exchange for the donation of dogs to their organization.

Facts stated herein have been confirmed with members of the community in Meridian, MS.