From Séamus: We hope everyone is doing as well as possible during these currently changed living circumstances as our society deals with containing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Our prayers go out to all of you.
This environment actually makes me, my wife Deirdre, and our daughters miss Mattie more, not less. Mattie was a solid anchor of joy in our household for five years. Her goofy innocence kept us grounded when our overactive human minds drifted towards worry and anxiety. The hole in our hearts due to her unnecessary absence expands in times like this.
But on the bright side, even in this changed environment your power and influence in helping to Bring K9 Mattie Home shines through – our fundraiser (on GoFundMe and PayPal) has officially surpassed two-thirds of the way to our goal!
I was touched by what one of our staunch supporters named Sandra wrote about Mattie, the fundraiser, and the coronavirus in response to our St. Patrick’s Day update:
This is wonderful and thank you for sharing! I hope to see you back there next year with Mattie at your side. Every time I read again what you guys and Mattie have been forced to endure so terribly unfairly, tears come to my eyes and my blood begins to boil. Even though the store where I work has closed because of this horrible virus and I don't know if it will open again, and money is tighter than ever, I am going to donate another $10 in the hope that I will spur others to do the same. Like I stated before, if everyone who signed your petition donated just 50 cents, you'd be 5 times over your goal already. Come on people, step up to the plate and put your money where your mouth is. Everyone can afford 50 cents!
Thank you Sandra – we are grateful for both your contribution and your insightful words! ❤
(A quick note: For those of you unable to access the Fox News link to my St. Patrick’s Day interview with Pete Hegseth about my military unit, this link might work better: Honoring New York's 'Fighting 69th' Infantry Regiment )
As far as PWP / MSA Security’s response to the National Emergency, a well-connected source has told me it has been slow and cowardly. It is the K9 handlers and not the executives who suffer the most from “the postponement of all sports, concerts, theaters, and the closing of many offices throughout the nation” (United Federation of K9 Handlers). Apparently the company has been dragging their feet when it comes taking care of those who earn the company its revenue.
As Joe Nacarlo of the K9 Handlers union points out, “To many of our new handlers and former military members, MSA is their only source of income and a reduction in hours could be detrimental to their families.” Fortunately, the union’s recent outreach to MSA’s management team has initiated some positive, though belated, action by the company. It is not a surprise that they would respond to the union, since PWP / MSA Security has lost every single dispute brought before the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board). Every. Single. One. Beating the company into the ground is the only thing that has ever made them listen.
A big thumbs up to the United Federation of K9 Handlers for sticking up for the dogs and their partners!
But the fact remains that PWP / MSA Security executives continue to sit comfortably while their K9 handlers suffer loss of livelihood due to the crisis, so they probably have the opportunity to read some more of your supportive emails. So, (drum roll please)…
A FEW MORE EMAILS FOR MSA SECURITY
Peter Capizzi, Chief Human Resources Officer, pcapizzi@msasecurity.net. This guy is a real piece of work from what I hear. It has been reported to me that Mr. Capizzi is adamant that MSA’s family-bonded bomb dogs are nothing more than ‘corporate property’.
Gerald Goss, VP of Business Development, ggoss@msasecurity.net. How does Mr. Goss envision the company developing its business given its now well-documented record of sending dogs to torture and death overseas (read here)?
Philip Marino, VP of Sales and Marketing, pmarino@msasecurity.net. I wonder what he sells – that MSA treats dogs like family?
On another note, we are continuing to maintain contact with our elected representatives. But because of the current situation, much of their attention is rightly directed toward the public response to the coronavirus emergency. We are keeping in touch with our media contacts as well. As far as they go, one friendly reporter I am in contact with summed it up: “Corona – everyone’s focused on that now.”
In New York, all ‘non-essential’ workers were told to stay home. As a father, fighting for my family is the most essential work of all. And so I will continue to work to Bring K9 Mattie Home. The struggle to reunite our family is of course modified by the circumstances our country is dealing with, but not at all stopped. My wife and I will continue to be sensitive to developments as they arise and keep in touch with all of you.
We will continue on until Mattie comes home and we can move on with our lives. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and GOD BLESS AMERICA XOXO
WAYS TO HELP
1) THE FUNDRAISER. Make a donation to Bring K9 Mattie Home through GoFundMe or PayPal. Every penny goes to Mattie. We are offering to buy her back from the company for their stated price of what it cost to train Mattie, along with any associated costs. In addition, MSA has a habit of legally turning over the dogs to their handlers when the dogs are physically broken down. All medical expenses have to be borne by the handler’s family. Maybe it’s not right, but that’s how they work.
Today we stand at more than TWO-THIRDS of the way to our goal!! You have truly given us the momentum xoxoxo
2) CONTACTING THE PWP / MSA BOSSES. Send an email or give a call or text to the corporate bosses through the means of contact listed below.
They don’t know how to handle you; they know the public eye is on them, especially during this crisis. And so every email, text, and phone call counts.
*NOTE* These guys listed here are the head honchos, but the list is not exhaustive – many other PWP and MSA contacts can be found through your favorite search engine (Google, Bing, etc.). We have included a few here above in the main body of the update.
3) SPREAD THE WORD! If share what you think of MSA and PWP on Google Reviews, or simply tell your friends and family, I believe the positive effect would end up being exponential.
And since MSA-trained K9s being sent overseas to terrible fates (read: PWP / MSA Security sends dogs to torture and death in Jordan) is a matter of national public interest and your tax dollars, contact your Congress members – Representatives and Senators – about the fraud that PWP / MSA Security is pulling on the American people.
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Relevant links and contact info are contained here below.
We would be so deeply thankful if you would consider making a donation to our fundraiser to Bring K9 Mattie Home: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bring-k9-mattie-home
If you prefer to donate through PayPal, here's our link: https://www.paypal.me/seamusk9
And please let MSA & PWP know how you feel about this! Direct contact has a positive impact. CONTACT INFO (and the next 4 numbers can also be texted):
CEO Glen Kucera (the man who made the decision to take Mattie away), 973-981-1275; gkucera@msasecurity.net
Chairman Mike O’Neil (the company’s public face), 516-491-9721; moneil@msasecurity.net
VP of Global Operations Justin Kelley (the guy in charge of all MSA K9s in the world), 860-559-9208; jkelley@msasecurity.net
K9 Training Director Mike Wynn (the person who moved Mattie across the country, out of spite, to keep her from her family), 917-923-5508; mwynn@msasecurity.net or msak9@msasecurity.net
The Perella Weinberg people who own MSA keep themselves relatively insulated; they are billionaires after all. So while we don't have their direct numbers, here are the emails of the fellas who oversee MSA:
Chip Baird, cbaird@pwpartners.com
David Ferguson, dferguson@pwpartners.com
John McKee, jmckee@pwpartners.com
Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP) main number, 212-287-3341 (Heads up: PWP falsely claims that Mattie is an MSA internal issue, that they have nothing to do with it. This is false - they are intimately involved with MSA's operations!).
MSA Security main number, 212-509-1336
And of course, we welcome your feedback. Our email is: k9mattie@yahoo.com