02-17-2010 KAVANAUGH 'DOG LADY' STORY A WINNER Lee Hill Kavanaugh is a veteran Kansas City Star reporter. She has covered virtually everything during her career and even written a book about Quincy Jones. She reportedly is an accomplished bass trombone jazz player. She has won numerous journalism awards. Kavanaugh's recent front-page story (2/16) in the Star about a "Dog Lady" who takes food, water and other things to neglected dogs and cats was fascinating on a number of levels. The blog "The Kansas Citian" was critical of both the Star and the "Dog Lady" and made some great points about valuing dogs over humans. However, we feel the story represented top-notch journalism. First, did the story deserve front-page coverage? Maybe not. But Kavanaugh made it so interesting that it was difficult not to read the story. The woman featured in the article, Kate Quigley, might sound like a real piece of work to many people. Six days a week she loads up her truck and cares for neglected animals in the inner city in winter conditions. She knocks on doors, takes pets to be spayed and neutered, and cares for many of them with toys, food, hay, etc. She slogs around in the mud taking care of some mean guard dogs. What makes the story particularly interesting from a journalistic standpoint is that Kavanaugh simply presents the facts about this woman without inserting her personal views. While the woman might seem like some sort of animal saint, Kavanaugh duly notes that Quigley is recently divorced and has three children. Although this woman works tirelessly on behalf of animals, Kavanaugh also quotes the woman as saying, "I hate people." To many readers Quigley might come across as a person who has her priorities all screwed up. To others she might represent all that is right in the world. Journalist Kavanaugh will let both groups make up their own minds. That's journalism.
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