New Hope for YHS pets by Ed Boks

Ed Boks and cat
YHS is featuring the colorful Felines of Fall. Trina is sweeter than honey; she is gorgeous, affectionate, quiet, and loves to be brushed. Her favorite pastime is lap-sitting and being adorable. All YHS cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped and are available for “Pick Your Price.”

This Thanksgiving the Yavapai Humane Society (YHS) is thankful to all our volunteers, supporters and partners. Every one of you plays a crucial role in solving our community’s pet overpopulation problems.

With a live release rate of 95 percent some might be fooled into thinking these problems are already solved. But they are not; and that is why I am also grateful to our New Hope partners.

The New Hope program is how YHS cooperates with and supports the efforts of partner animal rescue organizations in our shared vision to find homes for our community’s homeless pets.

YHS rescues around 3,500 homeless animals each year. When YHS is unable to find a loving home for one of our animals we call upon our New Hope partners for an assist. YHS partners with 58 New Hope organizations throughout the southwest in our effort to find every animal a loving home.

In the past twelve months ending in October, our New Hope partners saved the lives of 237 animals; that’s 6 percent of all the animals rescued by YHS. The top five New Hope organizations assisting YHS in its life-saving mission are Miss Kitty’s Cat House in Prescott (20), Second Chance Center in Flagstaff (17), Dewey Dog Rescue (16), Arizona Chihuahua Rescue in Phoenix (15), and Ark Cat Sanctuary in Flagstaff (14). YHS appreciates all our partners who help to place our local homeless animals into loving homes.

The New Hope program recently expanded exponentially thanks to Todd Underwood, a commercial pilot, who generously volunteers to airlift YHS animals to out of state partner shelters and sanctuaries.

Pet overpopulation is an expensive societal problem requiring a coordinated community response; and our local response is a tribute to our community.

Another solution to pet overpopulation is adoption. When you adopt from YHS you directly save the life of a local homeless pet who is altered and will never contribute to this problem. Sadly, some local rescues prefer to import and adopt animals from other communities. YHS feels strongly that we owe it to our community’s homeless pets to fix the problem here before compounding it by bringing animals in from outside communities.

Of course, the easiest and most cost efficient fix is for every pet owner to have their pet(s) spayed or neutered. When pet owners demonstrate this level of responsibility we’ll be able to solve the pet overpopulation problem within two to three years. That’s why I will ask the City of Prescott, Prescott Valley and Yavapai County to allocate funds to the YHS Big Fix program next year. Big Fix provides spay/neuter to pets belonging to our community’s indigent population for just a $25 co-pay. Studies have found that for every tax dollar invested in spay/neuter programs $20 is saved in animal control costs over ten years.

Low-cost spay/neuter is especially important for our community (feral) cats. This year YHS rescued kittens every month instead of just in the typical spring “kitten season.” This suggests our community is experiencing a serious cat population explosion.

To make sure affordable spay/neuter services are available to every pet in our community, YHS operates the low cost Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic. You can schedule an appointment for your pet today and help end the killing of unwanted pets.

In closing, a special thank you to every pet owner who spayed or neutered their pet(s); every person and family who adopted a pet from YHS; and every New Hope partner who re-homed a YHS pet. Each of you is directly helping transform our community into a truly humane society.

IMPLEMENTING THE “NO-KILL” EQUATION IN LOS ANGELES – Part III: Rescue Groups

This posting is the third in a series of messages responding to the recommendations of the “No-Kill Equation”. The No-Kill Equations is comprised of ten commonsense, long-standing practices embraced and implemented by LA Animal Services with remarkable results.

This analysis compares the “No-Kill Equation” to LA’s programs and practices. Today’s message focuses on the third recommendation of the “No-Kill Equation,” which is Rescue Groups.

The Ten “No-Kill Equation” Recommendations are:
1. Feral Cat TNR Program
2. High Volume/Low-Cost Spay/Neuter
3. Rescue Groups
4. Foster Care
5. Comprehensive Adoption Program
6. Pet Retention
7. Medical and Behavioral Rehabilitation
8. Public Relations/Community Involvement
9. Volunteers
10. A Compassionate Director

The No-Kill Equation will appear in this font.

The analysis of LA Animal Services’ efforts will follow in italics.
Following the analysis I will further explain our New Hope program in this font.

III. Rescue Groups
An adoption or transfer to a rescue group frees up scarce cage and kennel space, reduces expenses for feeding, cleaning, killing and carcass disposal, and improves a community’s rate of lifesaving. Getting an animal out of the shelter and into an appropriate placement is important and rescue groups, as a general rule, can screen adopters as well or better than many shelters. In an environment of 5,000,000 dogs and cats killed in shelters annually, there will rarely be a shortage of adoptable animals and if a rescue group is willing to take custody and care of the animal, rare is the circumstance in which they should be denied.

Ed’s Analysis:  LA Animal Services recognizes and embraces the advantages provided by dedicated rescuers finding good homes for the animals in their care. LA Animal Services welcomes the participation of rescue groups and organizations and constantly strives to improve its policies and procedures to maximize the benefits of these partnerships. In 2005 the Department created the Participant Shelter program to streamline procedures for the approximately fifty rescue organizations taking animals from LA Animal Care Centers. In 2006 this program expanded to become the New Hope program, and now partners with over 125 registered rescue organizations to facilitate the rescue and adoption of thousands of animals from the shelters. Department staff provides comprehensive daily lists of available and at-risk animals, as well as urgent notifications, to these rescuers and groups, helping to facilitate nearly 6,000 live releases a year.

The New Hope Program was implemented to eliminate all obstacles that might prevent the animals most at risk of euthanasia from being redeemed into caring, dedicated, expert hands. These animals are placed on a New Hope Alert that is sent to New Hope partners each day by email. The Alert shows a picture and description of the animals, and the Care Center location where the animal(s) can be found. The list is also available on our website and is updated hourly. In addition, New Hope Coordinators assigned to each Animal Care Center send urgent emails to partners concerning specific animals in critical need. Thanks to a vast network of rescue organizations and concerned residents these pleas can reach thousands of people in a matter of minutes.

Animals on a New Hope Alert are available to New Hope partners at no cost, and the animals are provided free spay/neuter, microchip, and vaccinations. The New Hope Program allows LA Animal Services to help organizations who rely on donations, grants, and dedicated volunteers to maximize their limited resources so they are better able to help us all achieve “No Kill”. New Hope is decidedly win/win/win for the rescue groups, for LA Animal Services, and most importantly, for the animals. New Hope is not designed to save animals from adoption, but to save animals from euthanasia.

The New Hope program has been implemented in Maricopa County, AZ, New York City and several other communities across the United States. While the program may not be perfect, it is designed to continually improve and meet the needs of any community. Thanks to the help of many New Hope partners in LA, I believe the LA New Hope program is the most collaborative and successful shelter/rescue partnership program in the United States.

In addition to the program benefits noted above, other New Hope highlights include:

New Hope Partners receive 24/7 access to all Los Angeles Animal Care Centers.

Each facility has a designated New Hope Coordinator trained to provide the very best customer service to our New Hope Partners.

New Hope Partners are able to contact each facility via special “hot lines” to let the respective New Hope Coordinator know if they can help an animal. The New Hope Coordinator is able to immediately remove the animal(s) from the New Hope Alert and then work with the partner to transfer the animal as quickly as possible to the partner organization.

When a New Hope partner needs additional time to transfer an animal they can coordinate that need with our New Hope Coordinator. When necessary, and as recourses are available, transportation of the animal may be provided by the Department for the New Hope Partners having difficulty making these arrangements themselves.

Every New Hope Partner, upon request, receives a sophisticated, yet simple-to-use software package to help them manage the animals in their care. This software was developed by HLP Chameleon and is being generously donated to our New Hope partners. This software provides the smallest to the largest rescue groups the same level of animal management functionality used by over 350 of the largest animal shelters in the United States! We are deeply grateful for HLP’s continued and generous commitment to help shelters achieve no-kill. 

There are two types of New Hope Alert; a Green Alert and a Red Alert. A Green Alert identifies animals not imminently at risk of euthanasia. These are animals that, in the view of the Department, are not likely to be adopted any time soon for one reason or another, such as age or medical condition. A Red Alert identifies animals that are at risk of euthanasia. New Hope partners are provided seven days to take possession of Red Alert animals, unless the health of the animal requires a more immediate response. All the benefits of the New Hope program apply to all the animals on both the Green and the Red New Hope Alert.

The New Hope program is under review even now in an effort to identify additional enhancements. For more information on our New Hope program, and to see our New Hope Alerts, please visit our website at www.laanimalservices.com.

New Hope Improved Again! by Ed Boks

The New Hope Alert Program has undergone some recent enhancements making it arguably one of the most progressive innovations to communicating with rescue organizations that can be found in any community in the country. This program includes the thoughtful input of experienced, committed rescuers in Los Angeles, who have been helping us tweak this program on an ongoing basis since its introduction last summer.

The New Hope Alert now has two steps:

The first step is called, “New Hope At Risk (or Green) Alert”.Animals placed on the New Hope Green Alert are free to all New Hope Partners at no cost, and come with free spay/neuter surgery, microchip, and vaccinations. They are not on the list because they are at risk of euthanasia but because they are animals difficult for Animal Services to place. Of course, the public is still able to adopt these animals for the regular adoption fee. It is not uncommon for animals to be on this list for months.

The second step is called, “New Hope Red Alert”. Animals who are sick and/or injured and have not responded to at least two regimens of medical treatments, animals who are irremediably suffering, healthy animals who have been in an LA Animal Care Center for at least 45 days, and dangerously aggressive animals not wanted by any New Hope Partner are candidates for the New Hope Red Alert.

When an animal is placed on the New Hope Red Alert the animal’s post is time stamped on the first day so all New Hope Partners and concerned potential adopters will know when the seven-day clock starts ticking. They now have seven days to adopt the animal compared to the 24 hours allowed by the pre-New Hope euthanasia list. New Hope Partners can extend this holding period by working with their New Hope Coordinator. 

Both New Hope Alerts, Green and Red, are posted on our website and are updated every hour. Every animal’s post is time stamped so you can see exactly how long it has been available and in the case of the Red Alert, when the seven-day period begins (see: www.laanimalservices.com – click on New Hope).

Healthy animals are placed on the New Hope Red Alert only when space is at a premium and needed for incoming animals and AFTER Animal Services has exhausted every option for placing the animal. Should space constraints be alleviated, healthy animals may be removed from the New Hope Red Alert.

LA Animal Services rescues more than 125 animals every day, and despite this constant influx of animals we are committed to euthanizing 10% fewer animals every month than we did the same month last year. This will certainly become less problematic as our new shelters come on line increasing our shelter capacity by 400%. In the meantime, and until we achieve No-Kill, we need the help of all concerned Angelinos to achieve this goal!

Animals placed on the New Hope Red Alert may or may not have been on the Green Alert before being transitioned to the New Hope Red Alert. Animals that are placed directly on the New Hope Red Alert are done so for medical and/or behavioral reasons so as to call special attention to them by our New Hope Partners who can take them at no charge, with free spay/neuter if appropriate, free microchip, free vaccinations, and free medical treatment until the animal is in their care.

Sick and injured animals are removed from the New Hope Red Alert if their physical condition improves during the seven-day period and healthy animals are removed when the space constraints in any of our shelters are alleviated making it possible to transfer animals to another shelter increasing their opportunity for placement.

These enhancements to the New Hope Red Alert are in response to our community’s rescue organizations who are trying to determine which animals are most at risk of being euthanized. The pre-New Hope euthanasia list gave rescue organizations a mere 24 hours to adopt animals before they were euthanized.

The improved New Hope Red Alert now gives rescue organizations 7 days to claim these animals at no charge, with free spay/neuter surgery if applicable, free microchip, free vaccinations, and no charge for any medical treatments already provided the animal. Rescue groups can call the appropriate New Hope Coordinator and place the animal on hold for them, and they now have 24-hour/7 day a week access to come in and evaluate the animal. Animal Services will then work with our New Hope Partner to assist in getting the animal out of the shelter, up to and including transporting the animal for them and will provide more time if needed.

The ONLY time a Red Alert animal is euthanized prior to the completion of the seven days is when the animal’s medical condition deteriorates to the point of irremediable suffering. Should the animal’s prognosis improve it may be removed from the New Hope Red Alert and if space constraints improve healthy animals will be returned to the Green Alert and not be euthanized.

The New Hope Red Alert is our best final way of calling attention to these animals. Everyone now has at least 7 days to marshal their resources to adopt a Red Alert animal. Again, all healthy animals will go to at least one Mobile Adoption Event, or will be showcased in their respective Centers, and will be featured in an e-mail blast to New Hope Partners and interested parties before even being put on the New Hope Red Alert. 

If a healthy Red Alert animal is taken to a Mobile Adoption Event, the animal will be returned to a Green Alert to allow volunteers and New Hope Partners at least five days to network the animal in the community.

LA Animal Services is committed to the No-Kill philosophy, which means we are committed to LIFE and we are striving to save as many animals as possible.

We already know what has to be done, and we’re steadily improving our ability to do it.

For all intents and purposes the New Hope Red Alert is virtually the same as the pre-New Hope euthanasia list, except that now the focus is on saving lives in an unprecedented way. The expanded time frame allows groups and individuals the time to find adequate facilities and/or homes for these animals, and it alleviates the “11th hour” rescue that lends itself to wasted efforts and sometimes to the hoarding of animals.

LA Animal Services is asking all Angelinos to come together in the name of life and the life affirming programs of Animal Services. If LA is to become No-Kill it will take all of us working together! Let’s make 2007 the most significant year in LA history towards achieving our shared No-Kill Goal!

Understanding The New Hope Program

There seems to be some misunderstanding about a fantastic new life saving program in LA called New HopeNew Hope is helping LA become the first major No-Kill city in the United States. New Hopecoordinates the efforts of all the non-profit animal rescue organizations to ensure we are maximizing our limited resources to save the greatest number of lives.

This morning I received a disconcerting message that there may be a few folks who don’t understand the power and success of this program. The email was complaining about a Craig’s List Posting.

I’m just on Craigs list reading through the posts and it makes me sick! I have forwarded one of them to you and I don’t understand why so many of these animals have to be euthanzied. 

Is there not enough money to feed them? Didn’t you just open up the new shelter with lots of space? THIS IS SICK AND HAS TO STOP. 

Why do we have so many animals if no one wants them???? I don’t get it. Can’t you people come up with ideas to stop this overpopulation…I can’t read this anymore since it’s ongoing and doesn’t seem to stop.”

The Craig’s List Posting sent to me by the person above was filled with this type of hyperbole:

“EMERGENCY!!! 6 more angel dogs WILL BE KILLED FOR SURE–SAVE THEM!!! THE KILLING NEVER STOPS AT THE LA CITY POUNDS!!!” 

“PLEASE DON’T LET THEM CONTINUE TO MASSACRE THIS CITY’S PETS!!!”

Because of the popularity of Craig’s List this kind of ranting can circle the globe and nobody will ever take the time to find out the truth of the matter. It seems that if it is posted on Craig’s List, or for that matter on any website, it must be true. But that is not true! The purpose of this Blog is to help the community understand the importance and efficacy of the New Hope Progam when it is allowed to work as it is designed.

When an animal is placed on LA Animal Services’ New Hope AlertTHAT IS NEVER a DEATH SENTENCE. That is Animal Services’ way of notifying our over 70 New Hope Partners that they can adopt any of these animals at no cost. Not only is there no cost to our New Hope Partners but Animal Services also provides free spay/neuter surgery, a microchip, vaccinations, and some medical treatments as appropriate. Animal Services will even sometimes provide transport to our Partner’s location.

All six LA Animal Care Centers are open 24 hours per day and seven days per week for our New Hope Partners. Each Center has a New Hope Coordinator whose role is to provide premier customer service to our partners. New Hope Partners have direct cell phone contact with their Coordinator and the Shelter Director and can put a hold on any animal at any time.

New Hope Criteria:

  1. Healthy animals are placed on the New Hope Alert after they have been up for adoption for at least seven days. We have some animals not on the New Hope Alert that we are still trying to adopt after two or three months.
  2. Sick and injured animals go on the RED New Hope Alertimmediately, as do aggressive dogs. These animals are highlighted in RED which means we are asking our New Hope Partners to pay particular attention to them when considering which animals need the most help.
  3. Healthy animals may also find their way to the Red Alert when we have exhausted all our adoption options and feel a New Hope Partner can better place an animal. Healthy animals are typically taken to one or more off site adoption events before being placed on the Red Alert. But again, an animal can be on a Red New Hope Alert for days or weeks giving responsible Partners more than enough time to respond if they are able.
  4. However, animals on the Red New Hope Alert for 45 consecutive days may be euthanized. That means we give the entire community at least 45 days to find a placement for an animal. Rescue groups and the public have adequate time to save lives.

The frantic emails posted on Craig’s list suggesting that animals’ are at death’s door just because they are on the New Hope Alert does not help to save these animals’ lives. These frantic, hopeless emails seem to only have the same effect on most people as they had on the person who wrote in today, revulsion. This misguided passion only keeps people from coming to the Centers, and causes animals to die.

The New Hope Alerts are designed to help our rescue partners make decisions based on their available resources. In the past 12 months LA Animal Services has achieved a 42% live release rate for cats, and a 71% release rate for dogs! That is incredible!

Animals are often on our New Hope Red Alert for days if not weeks before being placed. If you are a New Hope Partner and are interested in any New Hope animal all you need do is call our New Hope Coordinator and we will work with you on transfering the animal into your position, even if we have to transport the animal for you. LA Animal Services has removed all obstacles to saving lives. If you want your organization to become a New Hope Partner, please call one of our New Hope Coordinators.

The frantic, hysteric cries that Animal Services can’t wait to kill animals and that we even enjoy killing animals is absurd. The euthanasia rate has dropped 11% for cats and 60% for dogs over the past three years. That is the most significant drop for any community in the United States. And we will continue month after month to continue this decline. It is our hope that all LA will come together to help the City and Animal Services achieve our shared No-Kill goal, and stop trying to scare adopters away, either deliberately or otherwise. Let’s make people feel welcome to our Animal Care Centers. They are not Death Camps, they are life lines, a safety net, for our community’s lost and homeless pets.

I hope this explanation helps everyone understand what LA Animal Services is trying to do through our New Hope Program. If you have a 501c3 rescue organization, I hope you will seriously consider becoming a New Hope Partner of LA Animal Services!

I would be amiss if I did not comment on this concerned resident’s last statement, “Why do we have so many animals if no one wants them???? I don’t get it. Can’t you people come up with ideas to stop this overpopulation…I can’t read this anymore since it’s ongoing and doesn’t seem to stop.”

We have so many animals because pet owners don’t spay and neuter their pets, we have so many animals in our shelters because pet owners don’t license and/or microchip their pets. If you love you pet, neuter and license your pet. Together we can make LA the safest city in the United States for our pets!

See LA Animal Services Life Saving programs at www.laanimalservices.com. Donations to help fund these programs are tax deductable. Thank you for your help and support!

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

New Hope Program expands; becomes more inclusive by Ed Boks

Over 75 organizations have already signed up as New Hope Partners to help LA Animal Services save lives and make LA the first major no-kill city in the United States.

Each day, New Hope Partners receive an email list of all the animals they can rescue at no cost to them. This includes free spay/neuter surgery, a microchip, vaccinations, and some times additional medical treatment. Absorbing these costs demonstrates Animal Services’ commitment to the life saving efforts of our partners by allowing them to maximize their limited resources to care for the animals they take from our Animal Care Centers.

The New Hope Alert is now available on-line for all to see. Now our New Hope Partners and members of the public can see for themselves the animals on our New Hope Alert every day. And this list is updated EVERY HOUR, 24 hours a day! 

The New Hope Alert is not a euthanasia list. It is simply a list of animals that our New Hope Partners can take at no charge. However, if the animal on the New Hope Alert has red font, it is at greater risk of being euthanized and it is our hope that our Partners will prioritize their life saving decisions to help these animals first.

The purpose of posting this information on our website is to save lives. With transparency comes vulnerability. The more information Animal Services shares the easier we can be made into a target by people not willing to help save lives but whose only intent is spreading discontent and strife that ironically slows the effort to end the killing.

Please use this tool responsibly. We share it with the community because we trust in the better angels of Angelinos to do the right thing. Please work with us to save lives.

If you would like to view our New Hope Alert daily you can view it at: http://www.laanimalservices.com/NewHope.htm

LA Animal Services does not yet have a New Hope Program for rabbits, but in the meantime if you would like to view the rabbits we have up for adoption you can go to: http://www.laanimalservices.com/Bunny_Brigade.htm

Together we can make LA the safest City in the United States for our pets. Thank you for your continued support!

New Hope – The New Frontier by Ed Boks

The following letter is from an LA Animal Services New Hope Coordinator:

Dear Ed:
I would like to thank you and the Department of Animal Services for what I like to call “The New Frontier”! It is definitely working!!! Being involved with the New Hope Program has been a real pleasure, in addition to being a valuable learning experience.

The “Old Way” just does not work any more. My relationship with our New Hope partners has taught me I can make a difference. In the old days, when an animal came into our Centers, whatever the situation, in a distressed medical condition there was only one solution, euthanasia. Today, because of cooperation of ACT Supervisor Sergio Rios and the rest of the West Valley Animal Care & Control Center, we have had remarkable happy endings. In the past, these happy endings would not have been possible.

One story was a Golden Retriever puppy hit by a car who needed surgery immediately. Because we can now do transactions over the phone we were able to get the dog placed with a New Hope partner without them even physically having to come to the Center!!! This would have been unheard of last year!!! In addition, the dog was transported to a veterinary hospital in West Los Angeles by one of the ACT’s from West Valley, again unheard of in past years.

Another situation was a 6 month old Lab puppy dropped off at the center, it’s tail had been chewed off because of infection, imagine the pain and suffering the dog had gone through! In the past, the dog may have been euthanized because of pain and suffering.

My effort to find a nearby veterinarian to do the tail amputation surgery was successful. I was able to locate a vet to do the surgery for two hundred dollars. The dog was delivered to the nearby veterinarian; again by an ACT on duty that day. The dog was picked up later that day and adopted the next Sunday by a really beautiful couple. It was love at first sight! The couple was amazed we had gone through the effort to save the puppy’s life, and that they were adopting a “special case”. I am sure that dog is living better then most of us!

There are many other stories of the efforts of myself, ACT Supervisor Sergio RiosCaptain Selderand most importantly the staff of the West Valley Animal Care & Control Center. Of course, the rescue community has stepped up and created a much better atmosphere for all of us to be fortunate enough to be a part of our life saving efforts.

With, “The New Frontier” we have all realized we can make a difference, even if it is one at a time. By being more flexible and willing to change we are making the image of LA Animal Services much more positive and friendly toward the public and rescue groups.

Hail to “The New Frontier”! I welcome your comments and further cooperation with everyone involved in “Savings Animals’ Lives”!!!! Along with the cooperation, of everybody these situations of transporting animals for New Hope partners is becoming more and more frequent. Dogs that are adopted from South Central Animal Care Center are being transported to West Valley Animal Care Center because it makes adopting easier for New Hope partners. It seems these happy endings are becoming a daily occurrence, which is terrific!!!

Larry Herskovic
New Hope Coordinator
Volunteer Liaison
ACT/ROP Instructor
West Valley Animal Center
20655 Plummer St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
“It’s all for the animals”

Best Friends United by Ed Boks

Best Friends Animal Society, a primary partner of LAAS, hosted its annual Pet Adoption Festival on Sunday, June 4 in Manchester Park. There were celebrity guests, dog agility competitions, pet psychics, children’s activities, cool pet products, food and refreshment, and Radio Disney for additional entertainment.

But best of all there were over 60 wonderful rescue organizations coming together for a day of fellowship doing what we do best, saving the lives of lost and homeless dogs, cats, rabbits and other critters. Dozens of organizations brought hundreds of animals most of which found homes during this five hour event.

LAAS adopted or placed 113 animals (50 dogs, 56 cats, 6 rabbits, and one guinea pig). At the end of the event LAAS made all the animals that were not adopted available to our New Hope Partners at no charge. And as if that was not good enough, an amazing partner and benefactor of LAAS, who prefers to remain annonymous, offered $100 to every rescue group who took a dog and $200 for every rescue group that took a dog that had any pit bull or rottweiller in him or her!

96 LAAS volunteers attended this fantastic event. That is more LAAS volunteers than have ever attended any single event in LAAS history. I want to thank all our wonderful volunteers, employees both at the event and working in the Centers, and all our partners for playing an instrumental role in helping to make this year’s Pet Adoption Festival such a great success, especially for all the lives that were saved!

Events like this prove that by working together we can make Los Angeles the safest City in the United States for our pets!

“Dog Gone Cat-tastrophe” Hits the East Valley Animal Care Center by Ed Boks

Responding to the annual spring population explosion of homeless animals, the Department of Animal Services (LAAS) is teaming up with rescue organizations from all over the city to stage a “Dog-Gone Cat-Astrophe Adoptathon,” an unprecedented four-day event at the
East Valley Animal Care Center
13131 Sherman Way
North Hollywood 91605
The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 21 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, May 22. (Monday is for rescue groups only and they must request an appointment.)
This special event makes dogs and cats available to the public at special discounted adoption rates: $55 per dog and $35 for one cat and $50 for two cats. Adoption fees include spay or neuter surgery, a microchip, and a license for dogs.
It’s even better for 501c3 rescue organizations. In honor of the launch of LAAS’ New Hope Program, rescue groups in good standing with LAAS will receive animals for free plus they will receive a $100 cash gift made possible by an anonymous benefactor.
“The spring is typically the most difficult season in our shelters because of over-crowding,” explained LAAS General Manager Ed Boks, “and East Valley is especially hard hit this year. We want to make it as easy as possible for these great animals to find a loving home so we’ve teamed up with every rescue group in L.A. to address this ‘dog-gone cat-Astrophe.’”
The special $100 offer to rescue groups is only available at the East Valley Animal Care Center to rescue groups. To qualify for special “New Hope” rates or subsidies call 213-485-8613 prior to visiting the shelter.
“I hope families, individuals and rescuers will visit East Valley Animal Service Center this weekend and take advantage of this unique opportunity to find new friends for life, and to give these animals a fresh start,” said Boks.

New Hope arrives By Ed Boks

After more than a few weeks of constructive collaboration with several representatives of LA’s animal welfare community, Animal Services is finally launching its New Hope Program. The New Hope Program is designed to help an entire community’s animal welfare organizations maximize their limited resources through a cooperative effort to save as many animal lives as possible!

The New Hope Program was unveiled at a widely publicized public meeting at the Beverly Garland Resort in Studio City on the evening of Tuesday, April 25th. The meeting was graciously hosted by The Rescue and Humane Alliance of Los Angeles. The Alliance is an association of over 50 animal welfare organizations dedicated to enhancing the wellbeing of LA’s lost and homeless animals and is a valuable partner of Animal Services.

Over 150 individuals attended the New Hope meeting, representing over 60 local animal welfare organizations. The meeting began with many in attendance wanting to share their positive personal experiences with Animal Services’ new, enhanced emphasis on excellent customer service and animal welfare programs.

Over 25 employees of the Animal Services were in attendance. They were asked to stand up in proxy for the efforts of the entire organization as a grateful public applauded.

The New Hope Program was then unveiled in a dynamic, interactive presentation and idea exchange. Ed Boks explained the many benefits of the New Hope Program to partnering organizations. Benefits include:

1. A “personal shopper”, called a New Hope Coordinator, will help expedite the transfer of animals into the care of New Hopeorganizations and will be available to answer their questions and address their concerns.

2. A hotline phone number at each Animal Care Center and to each New Hope Coordinator to assist New Hope organizations in their life saving efforts.

3. 24 hour, 7 day a week access to all Animal Care Centers by appointment to view animals.

4. Daily color-coded New Hope Alerts providing valuable information and pictures of animals most in need of their help.

5. A sophisticated software program produced by HLP called Top View. This program, a magnanimous gift from HLP to New Hope Partners, will help partner organizations to better manage and more easily report on the animals in their care.

6. No fees for animals adopted from the New Hope AlertNew Hopeanimals will be spay/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated at no charge to New Hope partner. All medical care and lab testing fees will also be waived.

7. Pay only the $28 spay/neuter fee for an animal NOT on the New Hope Alert when an animal that is on the Alert is also adopted at no charge.

8. Pay only $28 for spay/neuter and $15 for microchip when animals NOT on the New Hope Alert are adopted and no New Hope animals are adopted.

9. If any non-New Hope animal is deferred for spay/neuter for medical reasons the New Hope Partner has the option to:
a. Take the animal to a City-contracted veterinarian at no cost, having already paid the $28 deposit; or
b. Take the animal to a veterinarian of their choice and submit proof of sterilization for a refund of the $28 deposit.

10. An easy “no waiting” in line adoption process that allows telephonic credit card transactions.

11. Animal Services will hold animals for specified time frames agreed to by Animal Services and a New Hope Partner while the partner makes necessary arrangements for picking the animals up.

(New Hope partners will continue to be responsible for purchasing dog licenses as applicable by law.)

Animal Services is very excited about the implementation of the New Hope Program. It is anticipated that New Hope will help increase the number of animals safely placed into loving homes and will play an instrumental role in Los Angeles becoming a No-Kill City!

Animal Services thanks all the organizations that have already signed up and we look forward to signing up additional organizations wanting to help Animal Services save lives. If you know of a non-profit animal welfare organization that may be interested in participating in the New Hope Program please encourage them to contact Animal Services for more information.

Together we can make Los Angeles the safest City in the United States for our pets!