Shepherd's treasurer for many years. During the same hunt, he was one of 11 activists convicted of violating Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans regulations, because they watched the hunt without a permit. He was sentenced to 22 days in prison, which he served in a Prince Edward Island jail in 2006. Conviction Vlasak was convicted in Los Angeles in 2006 of "targeted protesting" for demonstrating against euthanasia at animal shelters outside the home of a Department of Animal Services employee. He was sentenced to 30 days' electronic monitoring. He appealed and then lost the decision, and subsequently served his sentence. Views on violence Vlasak has been criticized for legitimizing the use of violence against animal researchers. He told a discussion group at an animal rights conference in 2003: Following the August 2, 2008, firebombing of a house belonging to University of California Santa Cruz animal researchers, Vlasak was quoted as saying "This guy knows what he is doing. He knows that every day that he goes into the laboratory and hurts animals that it is unreasonable not to expect consequences." In response to a restraining order obtained by UCLA in 2006, Vlasak was quoted as saying "It's laughable that someone willing to face a 30-year sentence for arson will be put off by a restraining order. It's not going to have any effect." Newsweek reported "The ALF Press Office's Vlasak says that the plan will be ineffective, in part because it circumscribes the actions of only five above-ground protesters. 'There [are] 150 more who remain' that can say and do what they want, Vlasak says." Interview with The Observer The controversy continued in July 2004 when Jamie Doward of The Observer wrote that Vlasak had told him during an interview: "I think violence is part of the struggle against oppression. If something bad happens to these people [animal researchers], it will discourage others. It is inevitable that violence will be used in the struggle and that it will be effective." Vlasak responded in a press release that the allegations were part of a smear campaign against him. He wrote: "I was outraged by Jamie Doward's article in the Observer stating that I, a medical doctor who spends my entire life SAVING lives, is calling for or encouraging the assassination or killing of any being, human or non human." He continued: People have been killed over absolutely ridiculous things like