Spotlight on Ethel Bostelman

September 17, 2000 -- Ethel Bostelman has long been a Puppymill Activist, so friends were hardly surprised to learn that she is the leading contender to head the Puppy Welfare and Protection Agency should the Dopeycrat party win in November.  Few question her credentials.  But is she too good to be true, and can she be effective in an administration already riddled with scandal and controversy?  Who is Ethel Bostelman anyhow?

Ethel burst onto the national scene a little over three years ago with her dramatic puppymill escape, forever immortalized in the poignant TV Movie of the Week "Ethel:  Diary of a Puppymill Bitch."  The show captured the essence of her courageous struggle to ensure her unborn puppies would never experience the neglect and abuse that she had endured for years.  However the movie suffered from Hollywood exploitation, taking artistic license to over-dramatize the breakout, complete with searchlights, bullets flying, armed paratroopers and the inevitable car chase through the streets of downtown Troy.  More "true to life" were the scenes shot in an emergency clinic, showing Ethel barely clinging to life after giving birth to her puppies.    Luckily, Ethel ultimately pulled through, and delighted in smothering her babies with love.  The movie's final tear-jerking scene shows Ethel standing quite alone, silhouetted against the sunset, tears streaming down her face as her puppies left home.

In real life, as her puppies grew up and left her, Ethel was able to use her notoriety to catapult herself into a leading role speaking out against puppymills.    Her compelling story ensured a forum for her advocacy, and audiences everywhere responded to her impassioned pleas to improve the abhorrent conditions. 

Although Ethel has led a largely charmed life since her escape, she was saddened to hear that one of her boys, Hubie, had passed away at two years of age.  Two other pups have become successful in their own right.  Prudence and Daisy emigrated to Canada where they pioneered the dog sledding craze among northern bassets.   A study in contrasts, Daisy eagerly anticipates celebrating the inauguration with Ethel and the Dopeycrats in December, whereas Prudence looks forward to acting crabby in public.