Category: animal cruelty

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City Council Motion Today!

Since my coming to Los Angeles Animal Services this past January the LA Animal Services Commission has suggested the need for a service delivery/performance audit. Members of the public have also expressed the need for such an audit. In both Maricopa County and New York City there was an audit conducted at both the beginning the end end of my tenures. I actually asked for the audits at the end of my past posts because I’m a strong believer in the role of an audit to serve as a benchmark for determining past performance and serving as the basis for future strategic planning.

Based on discussions I began and Commissioner Atake reinforced during her spring visit to the Best Friends Animal Society in Utah,we have forged an agreement with City Controller Laura Chick to underwrite a full performance audit (an audit of the operations as well as the finances) of LA Animal Services.

This is a pioneering agreement, the first time a City audit has ever received outside financial support. This makes it possible to add the audit to the Controller’s otherwise full schedule for this year, yet the agreement preserves the Controller’s full independence and autonomy over the process. The Controller will be working with outside consultants, including experts in the field of animal care.

Because the Best Friends’ donation to cover the cost of the audit requires City Council approval, Councilmember Jack Weiss today introduced a motion to accept the donation.

I want to thank the Mayor’s office, the City Council, and the Commission for their support of this effort. I especially want to thank Best Friends Animal Society for helping our community rise above the hyperbole to look for positive and lasting solutions to a very complex community problem.

It is my hope LA City will join us in looking forward to this audit as an important learning experience. I am asking for everyone’s support not only for the audit but also for our staff whose work will be under very close scrutiny during this process.

What follows is the Motion Council Member Jack Weiss submitted to the City Council today:

The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services appears to have embarked upon an era of positive change. It is revamping its management structure, opening new, state-of-the-art animal shelter facilities and launching expanded programs to reduce pet overpopulation and greatly reduce euthanasia in its shelter system. Both the Mayor and the Board of Animal Services Commissioners have determined that these efforts would be substantially aided by the conduct of a performance audit and the creation of a multi-year strategic plan for the department. LA Animal Services management has agreed to this approach and the Best Friends Animal Society, a non-profit organization based at 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741-5000, has stepped forward to offer the City the funds necessary to underwrite the conduct of this performance audit.

In accordance with the Los Angeles Administrative Code section 5.200.1, any gift exceeding $25,000.00 in cash or in-kind value must be accepted by the City Council.

NOW, I THEREFORE MOVE that the City Council:

1. Accept the $200,000 donation from the Best Friends Animal Society, a non-profit organization based at 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT 84741-5000, for the audit of the Animal Services Department and deposit said funds to Fund 100, Department 56, General City Purposes, Revenue Source Code 4512, Donations, and appropriate therefrom to a new account entitled, “Animal Services Audit;”

2. Authorize the City Clerk, with the assistance of the Controller, to negotiate, execute and handle payment and final close-out of a contract of up to $200,000, for the above purpose, subject to the approval of the City Attorney as to form; 

3. Request the Controller to monitor the contractor for contract compliance and authorize payments;

4. Authorize the City Clerk to make any technical corrections or clarifications to the above instructions in order effectuate the intent of this Motion;

5. Stipulate that the role of Best Friends Animal Society in the conduct of the audit is strictly limited to providing this donation, unless the Controller or its designated audit contractor directly requests further counsel from Best Friends; 

6. Instruct the City Clerk to notify Best Friends Animal Society of this action and to thank the organization for its generous commitment to supporting the work of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services and the animals of the city.

Presented September 12, 2006

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Humane Transport of Animals and SB 1806 by Ed Boks

Every year animals die due to inappropriate transportation methods by air and car. The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services recommends that animals not be transported during extremely warm or cold temperatures. When necessary to do so, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure the health and well-being of the animal.

When traveling by air, only reputable airlines that have a written policy on animal transportation should be used. Transportation should be scheduled when ambient temperatures are more likely to be within animal health and safety margins. When traveling by car, an animal should be confined within a crate or restrained with a seatbelt. No animal should be transported in the back of a pick up truck or allowed to hang out of a window without being secured. It is cruel and inhumane to keep an animal in a parked vehicle without air-conditioning for any amount of time when outside temperatures represent a risk to the health and well-being of the animal.

In keeping with this position, LA Animal Services worked with Senator Liz Figueroa and Assemblyman Lloyd Levine on Senate Bill 1806. Thanks to the hard work of LA Animal Services’ staff and the tireless efforts of LA Animal Services’ volunteer Judie Mancuso, it appears this life saving legislation will soon become state law with broad bi-partisan support.

Today’s San Francisco Chronicle ran the following article on the successful passage of this legislation so far:

Bill on leaving pets in cars goes to governor
Measure makes it a crime to subject animals to the heat

08-15) 04:00 PDT Sacramento — Attention pet owners. You might want to think twice before you leave your pooch in the car on a warm day while you run into the store for a few minutes.

If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs a state Senate bill headed for his desk, it will be a crime to leave pets in unattended cars under conditions that pose a danger to the animals.

The Assembly on Monday gave a 64-7 thumbs up to pass SB1806 written by State Sen. Liz Figueroa, D-Fremont, that also seeks to impose a fine of up to $500 and as much as six months in jail.

But perhaps more importantly, the legislation would empower animal control officers to remove pets in distress even if it means breaking the window of a car to gain access.

“We hear incidents (about pets dying in locked cars) just about every summer, and you’ve all seen dogs left thoughtlessly in the car. This is not to just punish those who are offending, but to save the animals,” said Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-San Fernando Valley, who presented the bill Monday.

However, actually breaking into a car to save an animal will be the last resort, said Ed Boks, general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services, the bill’s chief supporter. Animal control officers will first try to locate the owner and then try picking the lock to open the car door, he said.

Nevertheless, under the existing law, forcibly gaining entry into a vehicle is illegal for animal control officers, so they must call police to do it, Boks said. In many cases, by the time police officers arrive, it’s too late, he added.

There are no statewide statistics on how many pets die each summer, Boks said. However, animal-control agencies across the state get many calls every summer, especially when a heat wave sets in, he said.

But Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Riverside, argued that existing laws against cruelty to animals are sufficient.

“This is criminalizing negligent behavior,” he said. “If you intentionally leave an animal in a locked car on a hot day to endanger it, then we already have cruelty to animals laws. But if we’re just talking about leaving your dog in a car for a few minutes, that’s just negligence.”

But Boks said too often pet owners horribly underestimate the amount of time they think they’ll spend running an errand while their animal is in the car.

“You go into the store thinking you’re just going to buy a gallon of milk, but you run into your friend, have a chat, and it ends up being 15 to 20 minutes,” he said.

Boks said most healthy pets could not withstand much more than a few minutes of 107 degrees body heat before suffering brain damage or death.

The LA Times ran the following article today:

State Assembly Approves Bill Aimed at Saving Pets
Measure would make it a crime to endanger animals by leaving them in locked vehicles.

SACRAMENTO — People who endanger their pets by leaving them in cars could face up to six months in jail under legislation approved Monday by the state Assembly.

The measure would bar people from leaving or confining an animal in an unattended motor vehicle with conditions that could lead to suffering, injury or death. Those conditions could include lack of ventilation, extreme hot or cold weather or an absence of food or water.

First offenders could be fined up to $100 if the animal is unharmed, and as much as $500 and half a year in county jail if the pet incurs “great bodily injury.” Repeat violators would face the more stringent punishment regardless of whether an animal was hurt.

The legislation notes that even when vehicle windows are left slightly open, a car’s interior can heat to as much as 102 degrees within 10 minutes on an 85-degree day. Even a dog in good health can only withstand a body temperature of 107 or 108 degrees for a brief period before suffering brain damage or death, the legislation states.

The bill would allow a police officer, humane officer or animal control officer to remove an animal from a vehicle if they believe it is at risk. It would then be taken to a shelter or veterinary hospital, and the owner could not reclaim it until after paying all costs associated with its care.

The measure, SB 1806, sponsored by state Sen. Liz Figueroa (D-Fremont), passed the Assembly, 64 to 7. It previously was approved by the Senate, 31 to 3. Before being sent to the governor, the measure will return to the Senate for final approval of amendments added by the Assembly.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the bill.

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05/06 Fiscal Year and July 06 Report by Ed Boks

The following is an excerpt from the July GM Report to the LA Animal Services Commission. To read the entire report, visit www.lanimalservices.com and click on GM Reports.

The following information is for the month of July, the first month of the new fiscal year.

Dog and Cat Statistics For 2006 calendar year to date:
· Dog and cat adoptions are up 5% (7752 to 8151);
· New Hope placements are down 19% (4359 to 3598);
· Return to Owners is down 10% (2870 to 2582);
· Dogs and cats placed in Foster Homes are up 203% (75 to 227);
· Dogs and cats euthanized is down 8.5% (11,439 to 10465); and
· The number of dogs and cats taken in by Animal Services is down 5% (27958 to 26587).

If this trend continues Animal Services is on track to euthanize fewer than 18,000 dogs and cats in 2006. This would be an all time low for the City of Los Angeles. But this will be a challenge requiring all our friends, volunteers, and partners to help us get the word out the LA Animal Services is “the” adoption center of choice in Los Angeles and that all pets need to be spayed or neutered and licensed or microchipped.

Dog and Cats Statistics for July 06
· Dog and cat adoptions were roughly equal to July 05 (1366 to 1330):
· New Hope placements were down 19% (591 to 477);
· Return to Owners were up 2.25% (488 to 499);
· Dogs and cats in Foster Homes was up 957% (7 to 74);
· Dogs and cats euthanized was up 4% (2496 to 2593); and
· The number of dogs and cats taken in by Animal Services was up 6.5% (5097 to 5425).

Dog Statistics for July 06:
· Dog adoptions were roughly equal to dog adoptions in July 05 (832 to 826);
· New Hope placements for dogs were up 5% (318 to 333);
· Returns to Owners for dogs were equal to July 05 (466 to 465);
· Dogs placed in Foster Homes were up from 0 to 28;
· Dogs euthanized were up 16% (741 to 863);
· 37% of the dogs euthanized were pit bulls or pit bull mixes (320);
· 45 were orphaned neonates (5%);
· The number of dogs taken in by Animal Services was up 13% (2456 to 2779);
· 22% of the dogs taken in were pit bulls or pit bull mixes (613); and
· 33% were owner relinquished (922).

Cat Statistics for July 06:
· Cat adoptions were down 5.6% (534 to 504);
· New Hope placements for cats were down 47% (273 to 144);
· Return to owners were up 54% (22 to 34);
· Cats placed in Foster Homes was up 557% (7 to 46);
· Cats euthanized were down 1.5% (1755 to 1730);
· The number of orphaned neonate kittens euthanized was down 4% (939 to 903) but this number represented 53% of all cats euthanized; and
· The number of cats taken in by Animal Services was roughly equal (2641 to 2646); and
· 22% were owner relinquished.

37% of all dogs and 55% of all cats euthanized were pit bulls and orphaned neonate cats respectively. This data clearly demonstrates where our limited resources must be focused. LA Animal Services will be announcing more programs to address these critical areas soon. 

All Animal Services actual numbers and statistics are available on line for the past five years at www.laanimalservices.com Click on Statistics to see break down by dogs, cats, rabbits and others.

Top 10 Reasons for Cat Relinquishment in July:
1. Owner felt they had too many cats.
2. Landlord/zoning problems.
3. Owner was moving.
4. No time for the cat.
5. Family member allergic to the cat.
6. Cat was sick.
7. Cat did not get along with other pets.
8. Owner evicted/homeless.
9. Owner died.
10. Cat did not get along with a new baby in the home.

Top 10 Reasons for Dog Relinquishment in July:
1. Owner moving.
2. No time for the dog.
3. Landlord/zoning problems.
4. Dog was sick.
5. Owner felt they had too many dogs.
6. Owner died.
7. Owner could not afford medical bills.
8. Dog did not get along with other pets.
9. Dog aggressive towards people.
10. Owner cannot contain dog in yard or home.

LA Animal Services’ Operation Safety Net will monitor these reasons to study seasonal trends. Strategies and partnerships are being developed to help Angelinos keep their pets whenever possible and appropriate.

The Big Fix Results: The close of Fiscal-Year 2005-206 for the Big Fix Spay and Neuter programs show a dramatic increase in sterilizations compared to the prior year. The two Mobile S/N Vans, and a greater issuance of books and Rescue Organization participation resulted in an increase of 12,255 sterilizations for the Fiscal Year. Last Fiscal Year 26,075 animals were sterilized compared to 38,300 for Fiscal-Year 2005-2006.

This is a 48% increase in spay/neuter surgeries in LA.

The Discount Coupon Program redemptions for FY 2004-2005 were 4023 while FY 2005-2006 redemptions were 4308. Fewer restrictions on the program and an increase in the monthly distribution of Discount Coupon books to participating Rescue Organizations have increased the rate of redemption for the year by 7%. While the increase may not appear to be that significant, it represents 285 more dogs and cats sterilized. An additional number of books were printed due to the demand by rescue partners.

The FELIX (Discount Coupon Feral Program) saw the largest increase of all the Big Fix Programs. FY 2004-2005 feral cat redemptions were 2699 while FY 2005-2006 redemptions were 5887. This is a 118% increase in the number of feral cats the Department and its rescue partners were able to sterilize.

The Free/Senior Citizen Certificate Program redemptions for FY 2004-2005 were 7234 while FY 2005-2006 redemptions were 6948. The Free/Senior Citizen Certificate Program was strongly impacted by the effectiveness of the Mobile Spay & Neuter Vans in Fiscal-Year 2005-2006. Many of the same City residents who now use the s/n vans would have accessed this program in the past. But, despite this offset, there was still only a 4% decrease in the number of sterilizations while the overall number for low-income and senior citizen sterilizations increased 56%.

Across the country and here in LA we are seeing there is no “silver bullet” to solve the problems associated with pet overpopulation. There is no amount of “consulting” or “criticizing” or “condemning from the sidelines” that will make a lick of difference. The only way to solve this problem is for all of us to work together, because it is only by working together that we can make LA the safest community in LA for our pets!

I want to thank all our volunteers, employees, partners and the community for stepping up to focus on helping the animals of LA Animal Services. Together we are making a difference in their lives and we will continue to do so.

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Understanding Animal Cruelty Investigations by Ed Boks

I am often asked why Animal Control Officers and our Cruelty Task Force sometimes impound animals and other times give warnings when they observe violations of laws such as having too many animals or animals that appear to be neglected. This is an excellent question deserving an answer.

First of all, it should be noted that Animal Services’ ultimate goal is to find safe and happy homes for all animals. This does not excuse a person from neglecting their companion animal(s) or violating local laws. But we also know from years of experience and thousands upon thousands of contacts with the community that the overwhelming majority of animal caregivers don’t intentionally abuse or hurt their animals. However, there are countless factors that may result in an animal being neglected.

Neglect sometimes results from a family or financial crisis; ignorance regarding the proper care of an animal; or any number of other reasons. Sometimes a person’s compassion for animals exceeds their capacity and they take in more animals than they can responsibly care for. These aren’t excuses. But they may be reasons that, if corrected quickly, can avoid an animal being taken to an already over-crowded shelter. With proper intervention and instruction a neglectful caregiver is often provided the information and motivation needed to become responsible.

Realizing this and based upon solid experience and statistics, Animal Control Officers throughout the country have learned that over 90% of animal caregivers who are found to have an animal in need of medical or other attention will comply with warnings, or a “Notice to Comply”, as we call them in Los Angeles. Typical situations involve dogs and cats with flea and other parasite infestations, unsanitary conditions including excessive feces and urine residue in the house and backyard or failure to provide adequate food, fresh water and shelter.

In the vast majority of these situations when an Animal Control Officer gives the caregiver a Notice to Comply, that caregiver responds and the animal’s safety and welfare is restored without the necessity of removing the animal from its home and placing it in a municipal shelter. Impounding an animal into a shelter may seem preferable at first glance but the community needs to know that even the most modern and sanitary shelters expose animals to a variety of diseases and stresses that can negatively impact an animal’s health and happiness.

Animal Services in Los Angeles is doing everything we can to make our new shelters as safe as possible, including the installation of state-of-the art ventilation systems, architectural designs that discourage the spreading of disease, and providing medical support to maintain an impounded animal in the best condition possible. But the best efforts of any municipal shelter can never provide the safe and comfortable environment that a responsible caregiver can provide in his or her home. If necessary for the animal’s welfare, impoundment may be appropriate. But if we can save a home for an animal by warning and assisting the caregiver, it is certainly worth the effort.

So, you may ask, just when do we choose to take (impound) animals from their caregivers instead of give a warning? Our policy is firm and clear (and supported by California law). LA City Animal Services will impound animals that are in imminent danger or when it is obvious that a warning to a caregiver will be ignored. But, again, if an animal is not in imminent danger and the caregiver appears responsible and able to correct a situation such as providing non-emergency medical treatment, flea or tick removal and control, or cleaner housing conditions, then there is no question that it is in the best interest of the animal that we issue a Notice to Comply with follow-up to insure that the caregiver has done whatever was necessary to correct the situation.

To be sure, the City does not issue warnings because it is easier or because we don’t care about an animal’s welfare. It is only because we know from decades of experience, both here in Los Angeles and around the country, that most people will correct problems if given a written warning with follow-up to insure compliance.

There is one particular situation that is rather unique and often times reported in the news…and that is the infamous “hoarder”. A hoarder is a term of art that refers to persons who not only have more animals than the law allows but more animals than they can properly care for. Studies show these people often suffer from a form of obsessive-compulsive behavior and will rarely respond to a warning to reduce the number of animals or provide proper care. The nature of this disease is such that these persons are not even aware of how they are neglecting the animals in their household.

“Hoarders” typically rescue animals from the streets and truly believe they are doing the best thing for the animals. Hoarders can live in a household that is filthy, infested with parasites, intolerable smells of urine and feces, and permanently stained and destroyed furniture…but even when confronted with the way they are living and neglecting their animals, they are literally unable to see the reality of the situation. It is like a person suffering from life-threatening anorexia who looks in the mirror and sees a fat, overweight person. It is a delusion of sorts.

So, in spite of our best efforts to help the average animal caregiver to correct neglectful situations, we know that “hoarders” will not (and cannot) correct a situation by themselves. Accordingly, our Animal Control Officers and the members of the multi-departmental Animal Cruelty Task Force are trained to recognize possible “hoarders” and distinguish them from those people in the community who have more animals than they can care for but do not suffer from this obsessive compulsive disorder. When there is a suspected “hoarder”, our investigators can also call upon the expertise of our veterinarians and City and County social services to confirm the person is in fact a hoarder.

When we do identify a hoarder with animals in need of immediate attention, make no mistake about it…we will not issue a Notice to Comply. As I said, this is because we know they are unlikely to correct a situation and it is in the best interest of the animals to immediately remove them from the household. We will often work with our New Hope partners and other qualified organizations in the community to coordinate resources so we can provide foster homes for seized animals so they don’t have to go to the shelter unless absolutely necessary.

Animal Services recently implemented a novel and proactive Foster Program for “evidence” animals. Historically, animals rescued by Animal Services from a hoarding or abusive situation were forced to languish in a City Shelter for weeks, months, or even longer as the case was adjudicated. Recently, with the help of the City Attorney’s Office and the support of the Animal Services Commission, Animal Services implemented a foster program for these needy animals so they don’t have to suffer the trauma of a prolonged shelter experience. If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact our Foster Program Coordinator for more information.

During this foster period, hoarding cases are fully investigated and referred to the City Attorney Animal Protection Unit for criminal prosecution or psychiatric evaluation as appropriate. Criminal prosecution is not usually effective with hoarders. Counseling, involvement with Clutterers Anonymous, and constant visits is required to help these folks. We have specially assigned prosecutors in the criminal justice system to make sure these goals are met and to get these animals into good homes as quickly as possible.

For those who have too many animals but do not fit the profile of a hoarder, we will issue a Notice to Comply with careful follow-up, knowing that almost all of these people will comply with our notice to provide the necessary medical care, cleaner or roomier housing conditions, and placing the “excess” animals in other suitable homes. Our investigators will do whatever they can to assist these people in complying with the law to provide a safe home for their animals including referring them to interested New Hope Partners and other qualified organizations and foster families to help bring about compliance in a reasonably short time…again with the animals interests coming first.

For non-hoarders who fail or refuse to respond to our written warnings (Notice to Comply), our Cruelty Task Force and Animal Control Officers will proceed with a formal investigation for neglect and other law violations and refer the matter to the City Attorney or District Attorney for criminal prosecution…and impound any animals suffering or in imminent danger.

In summary, Animal Services’ policy for issuing a warning versus immediately impounding animals is based on solid evidence and experience with one purpose in mind…to do the best thing possible for the animals as we work together as a community to make LA the safest City in the U.S. for our pets

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Report to the Mayor: Part III by Ed Boks

This is the third and last part of my blog containing excerpts from my six month Report to the Mayor. This blog identifies some of the programs Animal Services is relying on to help ease the overcrowding of our current shelters and reduce our community’s euthanasia rate. These programs substantially depend upon our employees, volunteers, partners, donations and community support to succeed:

At the same time Department of Animal Services is opening the new Centers described in yesterday’s blog, we have also renewed our commitment to our community’s expectation to end euthanasia as a means to control pet overpopulation. Animal Services is demonstrating this commitment through the implementation of several new programs. The following programs are either fully implemented, partially implemented, or in the planning stage:

The Big Fix is the consolidation of the many and sundry programs to provide low/no cost spay/neutering services for pets in low-income households. A description of these many programs can be found on our website. Animal Services will soon have a Request for Proposals (RFP) on the street for managing and operating our six new Spay/Neuter Clinics. These clinics will provide spay/neuter surgery to Animal Services’ adopted animals and the pets of our community’s low-income pet owners and feral cat colony managers. Animal Services is also working with the Amanda Foundation to increase their aggressive mobile spay/neuter services. At the same time, we are working with the Sam Simon Foundation to immediately initiate operation of our South LA spay/neuter clinic until an RFP for these services can be awarded. This arrangement – turning over the mobile clinic operation to the Amanda Foundation and the South LA Clinic to the Sam Simon Foundation – is a win/win for the animals, the City, and our partner organizations. Animal Services experienced a 35% increase in voucher subsidized spay/neuter surgeries in Fiscal Year 06 compared to Fiscal Year 05 and a 50% increase in feral cat surgeries during this same time period. Thanks to the City commitment to Animal Services Big Fix spay/neuter programs dog and cat intakes are down 24% over the past past five years, and down another 7% in the first six months of 06. Expanding Big Fix exponentially remains one of our primary goals.

New Hope is a program designed to partner with the vast network of pet rescue, support and adoption agencies throughout Southern California and beyond in the process of locating homes for the animals that Animal Services rescues. We now have over 70 New Hope Partners and expect to double that within the next six months. This program gives New Hope Partners 24/7 access to the shelters to select animals from the New Hope Alert at no charge. This includes spay/neuter surgery, microchip, and vaccinations. It is Animal Services hope that this program will permit all our partners to maximize their limited resources in our shared mission to save lives. Each Center has one employee designated as the New Hope Coordinator. This employee is available to all New Hope Parnters by cell phone and serves as their “personal shopper”. New Hope Partners also get a daily email of all animals at risk of euthanasia that they can have at no charge. Animal Services and HLP have also made a sophisticated animal management software program available to New Hope parnters at no charge. If all partners take advantage of this offer, it would represent nearly a $500,000 gift to the rescue community.

Safety Net helps pets and their families stay together through difficult financial times or relocations by networking the entire animal LA welfare community through Animal Services Call Center. The Call Center will serve as a referal service for all animal welfare issues, including pet friendly apartments, attorneys specializing in pet law and landlord disputes, low cost boarding, behaviorists, etc.

Call Center will provide a “one-stop shop” for any and all animal questions, concerns, and problems. It will serve as the clearing-house to help Angelinos find the solutions they seek to pet, animal and wildlife related issues and problems. The development of a centralized Call Center in one location will also free six field officers who now man six separate dispatch stations, one in each Animal Care Center, to respond to problems in the field. The Call Center will also serve as the Field Operations Dispatch. This program brings much-needed efficiency to the department, allowing shelter staff to focus on the customers and animals in their Centers rather than being pulled away from these important responsibilities to answer the phone. And it frees Field Officers to serve the public and the animals out in the community. It will also dramatically reduce the waiting time the public experiences on the phone.

STAR (Special Treatment And Recovery) program provides medical treatment to severely injured, abused, and neglected animals rescued by Animal Services. This program provides treatment for animals that historically may have been euthanized because they were beyond the capacity of Animal Services to treat. This program also includes many partner veterinarians in the community. Soon Animal Services will have an x-ray machine in every Center that will seriously enhance the triage capabilities of the department in helping animals with life threatening injuries.

TLC (Teach Love and Compassion) provides at-risk youth with employment training in animal care. This program, currently in development, is designed to be intergenerational allowing our staff and community’s elderly to work with our youth to teach love and compassion through the care and love of animals. TLC will be an umbrella program dealing with many animal welfare issues, such as hoarding, the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, humane education, and much more.

Anti-Cruelty Task Force is a partnership with LAPD and the City Attorney. Together we investigate animal cruelty and abuse complaints, including dog and cock fighting, as well as cases of physical abuse and neglect. A database for tracking and reporting on these cases is being developed, and these statistics will be in each month’s General Manager Report to the Commission, which is also available to the public on our website. As could be expected with any multi-departmental effort, there are some coordination and growing pains, but we are working diligently with our partners to address them.

Volunteer Dog Training Program trains Animal Services’ employees and volunteers to improve the quality of life and adoption rate of sheltered dogs through behavior training provided by our community’s most reputable dog trainers.

Orange Dot Program is designed to identify and encourage improved behavioral response from shy dogs in a shelter environment; this program is effectively used in other shelters to help ensure dogs are provided every opportunity to be safely placed in a loving home.

My Castle, My Crate is a program using kennel crates for dogs in isolation or with behavioral problems to provide a stress free “safe house” in the kennel. Benefits include improved recovery time from illness, injury or improved behavioral manifestations caused by stress. The new shelters provide this safe space in all the kennels.

FELIX (Feral Education and Love Instead of X-terminations)provides low or no cost spay/neuter service to feral cats managed by trained feral cat colony managers trained by one of Animal Services feral cat partner organizations. Animal Services experienced a 50% increase in voucher subsidized spay/neuter feral cat surgeries to date in Fiscal Year 06 compared to the same time period in Fiscal Year 05. FELIX will play an important role in our pending Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) program, currently in development. Animal Services is partnering with almost all the local feral cat organizations, and welcomes any not now participating.

Foster Program trains volunteers to provide temporary homes for special needs animals until they are healthy enough for adoption. There are several facets to this program which includes our Bottle Baby Program to provide care for neonate orphanes. Animal Services provides training to volunteers interested in providing this life saving care. Animal Services has also started an Evidence Animal Foster Program. Historically, animals rescued from abusive or neglectful conditions were left to languish in shelter kennels for months while the legal proceedings were under way. Today, animal victims of cruelty and neglect can be fostered into loving homes until a judge decides in the matter. Overall, the Foster Program provides a safe place for animals that Animal Services historically could not properly care for or had to euthanize. This program will only be as successful as the community wants it to be because it relies on the community to provide this much needed love and care to our neonate, sick, injured, abused, and neglected animals. All the animals would have been killed in prior years. Volunteers developed a 7 minute informational CD for foster parents.

FEV Testing and Vaccination Program has been implemented as a pilot program. Designed to enable new cat owners the opportunity to determine any “at risk” factors that may affect their newly adopted cat and any cats at home upon introduction. Animal Services is also providing free dog vaccinations in all our Centers thanks to a donation received for that purpose. By making vaccinations more readily available to our community’s pets we will see less disease in our shelters.

Make-Over Program is in development phase to include outside vendor participation. At this time, Center personnel and volunteers that have grooming experience provide grooming for animals that need such attention. Best Friends volunteers continue to support grooming needs for large-scale adoption events.

Legal Issues: Animal Services is working with the City Attorney’s office and members of the public on no less than 30 legal issues, statutues, ordinances and/or programs, such as a new animal control ordinance dealing with mandatory spay/neuter; the aforementioned TNR program designed to humanely reduce the number of feral cats in LA; a possible rooster ban in LA to curtail cock fighting; allowing evidence animals to be fostered in a loving home rather than languish in our shelters; and neighborhood intervention programs that solves problems with potentially dangerous dogs before anyone is hurt or bitten, and much more.

Rabbit Brigade: rabbits have become the number 3 preferred pet in Los Angeles. Animal Services rescues hundreds of rabbits annually. All rabbits are now spayed or neutered prior to release. Animal Services partners with a number of rabbit rescue organizations and volunteers under the leadership of the nationally respected House Rabbit Society.

LAAnimalServices.org – nothing demonstrates the transformation of Animal Services more than our new website. Designed to make information easily accessible with a look that is easy on the eyes and is intuitive in function. Much more detail can be found on our website including a Blog from the General Manager, a 20 plus page monthly report from the GM, and details on all of Animal Services many programs and initiatives. Animal Services’ and the City’s websites both feature a Pet of the Day function to help improve adoptions. It is our hope other City departments will put this feature on their website. Instructions for doing so are available at www.laanimalservices.com.

Pet of the Month program initiated by Council member Herb Wesson highlights the City Council’s support of Animal Services’ efforts to increase adoptions and reduce euthanasia. Every animal featured at a City Council meeting since the practice of showcasing them at Council meetings on alternate Fridays was instituted early this year is now in a loving home! Check out our website to find instructions on how to put this feature on your website.

Lost and Found Bulleting Board: Animal Services is working with partner organizations to develop a lost and found bulletin board that will allow good Samaritan citizens to reunite lost pets with their owners without the animals ever having to suffer the trauma of a shelter experience. Keep your eyes open for that!

Match Maker: Animal Services has initiated its own Match Maker program. By going to our on-line Match Maker program found on our website, you can describe the type of pet you are looking for. Every time a pet matching your description becomes available, you will be notified by e-mail with a picture and description of the animal and its location.

Home Shopping Petwork is a high quality, 30 minute television program on Channel 35 that highlights the programs, events, employees, volunteers, and most importantly the animals of Animal Services. The program can be viewed several times per month. For a listing of the show schedule, visit http://www.lacity.org/ita/itacv1.htm

SALA – (Shelter Animals of Los Angeles) is a 501c3 Animal Services fund raising organization comprised of influential volunteers, residents and business owners wanting to help Animal Services raise funding for the life saving programs described above which are designed to facilitate achieving LA’s no-kill goal. The SALA Board is currently in formation.

Dog Licensing Program: Another reason for our declining euthanasia rate is that Animal Services has one of the highest success rates in the country for returning lost pets to their grateful owners, a rate four times higher than other large cities. Animal Services returns over 4,500 lost dogs and cats to their owners each year. 100% of the animals that Animal Services rescues with a current license go home, unfortunately, 90% of the animals we rescue come in with no identification and never go home again.

License Canvassing program: Animal Services is asking the Mayor’s Office and the City Council to reconsider funding the License Canvassing program that was deleted in this year’s budget. Conservatively, there are an estimated 700,000 pet dogs in the City of Los Angeles. Only 120,000 dogs are licensed and this number decreases each year. The program consisted of 15 Department personnel who go door-to-door and collect canine license fees.

This program was not functioning properly until February 06. Since then we immediately began to show positive results. Beginning in March 06 additional staff was recruited for the program and the number of licenses and revenue began to increase from 790 new and renewal dog licenses representing $24,373 in revenue in March to 2,498 new and renewal dog licenses representing $84,093 in revenue in June. Animal Services projects with a full contingency of fifteen canvassers we could conservatively generate $750,000 in license revenue in the first year. Because licenses must be renewed annually this revenue will continue to increase and compound per annum. This revenue would greatly supplement Animal Services budget and allow us to better provide the level of care LA residents expect.

Animal Services is deeply committed to achieving the Mayor, City Council and our community’s ultimate goal of ending institutional euthanasia as a method for controlling pet overpopulation! The above-mentioned programs combined with established initiatives and programs under the Mayor, City Council, and Commission’s leadership are already producing significant demonstrable results. 

Together we are making LA the safest city in the US for our pets! Thanks to everyone playing a constructive role in this exciting challenge!

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Report to the Mayor: Part I by Ed Boks

The following is an excerpt from a report from the GM of Animal Services to Mayor Villaraigosa. Watch for part II later this week:

I want to report on the progress made so far this calendar year at Animal Services. Los Angeles Animal Services received two national recognitions during the past six months. The first mention came from Maddie’s Fund®, the well known Pet Rescue Foundation (www.maddiesfund.org), established in 1999 to help fund the creation of a no-kill nation. The recognition was for “transparency,” ie., the ready availability of information to the public.

Of the over 5200 animal control departments in the United States and the tens of thousands humane societies and other animal welfare organizations, Maddie’s identified only five organizations for their transparency. LA Animal Services was at the top of this list and was the only municipal animal control program recognized.

One of the reasons for this recognition is LA Animal Services’ willingness to post its statistics on-line. Animal Services shares Maddie’s philosophy that transparency “will ultimately help save more lives,” and that by our example “other organizations will see the true merit of moving in this direction, and that transparency will become commonplace in the very near future.”

The second recognition came from the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide. Founded in 1992, ANIMAL PEOPLE has no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. The official 14th annual ANIMAL PEOPLE analysis of kill rates in communities across the United States goes to press on July 20th. Merritt Clifton, editor of ANIMAL PEOPLE, forwarded LA Animal Services the following recognition based on the best available data of total U.S. shelter killing:

“Los Angeles city and county combined have cut their shelter killing in half since 2003, and at a combined rate of 3.94 are now killing fewer animals per 1,000 residents than San Francisco killed in 1994, the first year of the Adoption Pact that made San Francisco the first no-kill city.” Mr. Clifton goes on to cite LA as an example of a community making the “fastest progress” towards no-kill joining all “Southern California” in “the steepest decreases in shelter killing nationwide since 2001.”

These two positive mentions demonstrate Los Angeles is on the right track and is developing meaningful momentum for further improvement. Over the past five years, LA City’s dog euthanasia rate decreased 62 percent and our cat euthanasia rate decreased 19 percent.

In just the first six months of 2006, we’ve seen another 12 percent decrease in dog and cat euthanasia compared to the same period in 2005. In the 05/06 Fiscal Year just ending, fewer than 19,500 animals were euthanized.

This is the lowest number of animals killed in any one-year period in LA City history! At mid-calendar 06, the number of dogs and cats euthanized is 7,800. If we are able to maintain or improve our current efforts we may reduce dog and cat euthansia to under 16,000 this calendar year representing an additional 20% decrease in euthanasia.

During the past six months LA Animal Services experienced a 7% increase in adoptions compared to the same time period in 2005. The first two quarters of calendar year 2006 represent the highest pet adoption quarters [6821 adoptions] and the lowest euthanasia quarters [7,865 deaths] in LA Animal Services’ history! Add to this an additional 3,121 transfers to partnering organizations and our high return to owner rate and Animal Services “live release rate” for dogs and cats is an amazing 58%.

Animal Services has a 70% “live release” rate for dogs and a 44% “live release” rate for cats. The past six months is the first time in LA Animal Services history when more animals left alive then were killed. Together, we are truly making humane history in LA! 

I want to thank everyone who is helping make the no-kill vision a reality in LA!

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What’s new at LA Animal Services? by Ed Boks

Have you seen what’s new on the LAAS Website?www.laanimalservices.com 

You can now translate the website into nine different languages.

There is a new Blog below on the cruelty of tethering called, “Chains of Love or Abuse”.

The New Hope Program scheduled to roll out within the next month or so is described. The document on line is just to help the rescue groups get acquainted with the program. LAAS will have a public meeting to explain the program in detail within the next couple of weeks. The program will not be implemented until after the public meeting.

A report on Operation FELIX (Feral Education and Love Instead of X-termination) is now on line for your information. It details why TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return) is the only viable, humane, non-lethal method for effectively reducing the feral cat population in any community or location.

My position on many common sense approaches to humane animal care on a community wide level is also available under GM’s Position Statements.

Also read about Patrick, the Irish Setter mix, adopted by a member of the Mayor’s Office at a City Council meeting on St. Patrick’s Day!

And much more.

Also, don’t forget to check out Dana Bartholomew’s new article on LAAS in The Daily News.

Euthanasia for dogs and cats in January 2006 was down 25%, and down 33% in February, and we are on track to reduce euthanasia 40% in March (its at 39.79% as of this writing on March 24th) compared to the same months in 2005. Stay tuned!

Please consider being a life saving Foster mom or dad this puppy and kitten season. More info on our enhanced Foster Program coming soon or contact our volunteer Department for an update.

Together we can make LA the safest City in the US for our pets!

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Chains of Love or Abuse? by Ed Boks

It’s interesting how a seemingly simple solution to a perceived problem can have traumatic unintended consequences. Consider tethering. A tether is a rope, leash, or chain used to restrict the movement of a dog.

Ed Boks and tethering
On August 3, 2005, the LA City Council passed a tethering ban effective in LA! Tethering your dog can now result in a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both!

Some people consider a tether an acceptable solution to correcting a misbehaving dog and they never take the time to consider the horrific consequences of tethering. Lets take a moment to think about tethering, but let’s make it a little more personal. Let’s consider the consequences on a two year old child as an example.

Imagine a two-year old child confined to a small room all the time. The toddler wakes up each day full of natural curiosity and energy, with a need to be touched and loved by those around her. She can hear them laughing and interacting just on the other side of the door; she can even smell them.

She only sees her loved ones once a day when they fill her bowl with oatmeal and her bottle with water. She loves this brief interaction and tries to lavish her love on them, but they are annoyed by her affection. She is curious and longs to be held by them. But soon they are gone and she is left alone. She has no ability to articulate what she is feeling, only that she must be “bad” to be so rejected. She is never given the opportunity to learn what is expected of her. No one takes the time to teach her to behave in a way where her loved ones would want her to be with them all the time.

She gets no exercise, and eventually gives up trying to even reach the doorknob to break down the barrier that separates them. Then she gives up hope that the door will ever open. She turns inward, depressed and lonely. To occupy her time, she crawls in circles; she sucks her thumbs raw. When someone does come into her room now, she is afraid. She doesn’t know how to behave or interact. What has she learned?

She has learned to believe that she is helpless, and that the little world she knows will not respond to her needs. She has learned that nothing she does matters. She has learned that people are to be feared. She has learned that she must defend herself by shrinking away or lashing out. What was once a curious, trusting, happy, healthy, loving little creature has been transformed into a cowering, aggressive, unstable being because her loved ones refused to share their home and lives with her.

Dogs, like children, are social beings. They have a deeply ingrained need for contact with either human beings or other dogs. When a dog is tethered (chained) outside, it does not receive the socialization it needs to maintain its mental health. Tethering also denies the dog proper exercise. Even if a dog is given proper veterinary care and is fed correctly, tethered dogs are still apt to develop serious behavior problems because their existence is ruled by the length of the tether.

Although it may seem as if the dog has plenty of room to move about, dogs still get tangled up in their chains, making it impossible for them to reach shelter, shade, food or water. Dogs that spend their lives tethered have been known to grind their teeth down to stumps. Many will compulsively lick an area of their body until it turns into a bleeding sore (granuloma). It is reported that tethered dogs inflict one quarter of all dog bites recorded.

Tethered dogs frequently become withdrawn and depressed. Compulsive barking, chewing and digging may also result. Some people tether their dogs because of bad behavior. This only compounds the problem, sometimes resulting in hyperactive or aggressive behavior in addition to the original behavioral problem. These dogs need professional training, not tethering. Unfortunately, many people who tether their dogs are unaware of the cruelty they are inflicting on their pet.

Many dogs are kept tethered because their guardians did not spend the time or energy to properly train them or because they do not have the proper facilities for keeping a dog in the first place. There are even some cultures that consider tethering acceptable because they view dogs as working animals, not companions.

Thanks to the hard work, commitment and compassion of LAAS’ David Diliberto, City Attorneys Robert Ferber and Dov Lesel, and private citizen, Dianne Lawrence, for helping me craft an anti-tethering ordinance in Los Angeles.  That’s right, IT IS NOW ILLEGAL!

On August 3, 2005, the LA City Council passed LAAS’ tethering ban effective in the entire City of Los Angeles! Tethering your dog in the City of Los Angeles can now result in a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both!

If you tether your dog, please consider an alternative. If you know someone who tether’s their dog, let them know about this new law. Your veterinarian, members of dog clubs and dog obedience trainers can provide the information you need to correct the behavioral problems that may have led to tethering your dog in the first place.

Please call LAAS (888-452-7381) if you would like more information on the dangers of tethering and what you can do about it.