During what animal activist Paul Darrigo called a “breakthrough meeting,” representatives from Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office committed last week to reforming the animal shelter system in Los Angeles.
Darrigo, a partner with the Coalition for a Humane Los Angeles – the same group that recently demonstrated outside the mayor’s residence at the Getty House calling for reform of the Coalition for a Humane Los Angeles(LAAS) department – met with Deputy Mayor Barbara Romero and other representatives to present proposals for changes.
The “breakthrough” came when the mayor’s representatives, according to Darrigo, committed to issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for an outside consultant to conduct a full review and analysis to improve the shelter system, which Darrigo called “disheveled, segregated and unaccountable.” He said the system doesn’t have the overall design it needs to bring about “world-class” standards. It has not been decided yet when the RFP will be released.
“Deputy Mayor Romero welcomed hearing Mr. Darrigo’s ideas,” said Vicki Curry, associate director of communications with Garcetti’s office. “The Mayor’s Office is working with (LAAS General Manager) Brenda Barnette and the department of animal services to address these complicated animal welfare issues and will continue to listen and work toward solutions with Angelenos who are passionate about the lives of animals in our city.”
During the same week, Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin presented an audit of LAAS shelters due to concerns over operations, data management and reports from animal welfare advocates of dogs living in enclosures filled with feces at city shelters. The audit reported the department made progress in reducing the frequency with which it euthanizes animals, but also laid out concerns that approximately one out of four animals entering the facilities was put to death last year.
“I want to thank the controller’s office for its thorough audit of the animal services department,” Garcetti said in a statement. “Although it shows that the department has consistently reduced the euthanasia rate year-after-year, there is still more work to be done. How we treat our animals is indicative of our values. I’ve directed our general manager to work collaboratively with community members and stakeholders to develop a new strategic plan that will ensure we become a ‘no kill’ city.”
Galperin said the euthanasia rates partly depend on what shelter the animal goes to.
“Controller Galperin pointed out some interesting and important information about the disparity in the euthanasia rates among the six different shelter locations,” LAAS General Manager Brenda Barnette said in a statement.
Barnette said LAAS staff transfers animals from crowded shelters to ones that have space when possible to give the dogs and cats the best opportunities to find a home for them.
“However, there are times when transfer space is not available – making this disparity a sad reality,” Barnette said. “We appreciate the controller’s recommendation to categorize our data to show the reasons why animals are euthanized for irreparable suffering or [for being] too young to survive without special care or put to death due to lack of shelter space. We agree that this information will be helpful as we continue to analyze our data and refine our plans toward achieving a no kill L.A.”
Darrigo shared examples that sparked concerns with LAAS and Barnette. He said last year, an animal control officer reported that LAAS shelter vans and buildings were too hot, causing at least one dog to die in the back of a shelter vehicle. Darrigo said despite LAAS meetings on the matter, no changes have been made.
To help fix the system, Darrigo also brought other points to reform the animal services department at the meeting, and said Romero agreed to almost all of them.
The first two points, including the RFP for an outside audit, involved bringing on additional oversight to the department and its shelters. Darrigo also called for a citizens oversight committee made up of shelter volunteers and members of the rescue community.
Darrigo said Romero committed to hiring a new public information officer for LAAS.
Through the new information officer, Darrigo suggested the department establish an educational outreach program on the importance of spay and neutering pets and the associated health and safety issues.
Darrigo said LAAS will assign more “hope coordinators”, who are shelter workers who help with animal transfers and adoptions. Darrigo said presently, two coordinators network animals in six shelters.
“We need a new hope coordinator for each shelter to work with rescue workers,” Darrigo said.
Darrigo is also pushing for implementation of administrative citation enforcement immediately, and that the shelters install more accurate data systems.
“There is no smoking gun here, like obvious fraud,” he said in an email. “But there is a consistent misrepresentation of how this data is entered.”
Darrigo points to a shelter in Riverside where he said they generate approximately $100,000 a month through citations.
Galperin’s audit said without adequate processes to ensure the accuracy of reported statistics, the integrity of the animal services’ operating performance is “at risk.”
Barnette said the audit is correct that LAAS understated the number of shelter animal sterilizations because the department’s data reports focused on in-house surgeries by staff veterinarians, and the surgeries performed under the contracts LAAS monitors for clinics that are located within shelters.
“As we have in the past, we welcomed the audit and the timing was perfect, just in time for us to implement improvements as we are upgrading our Chameleon data management software,” Barnette’s statement read.
Darrigo said animal activists are protesting again outside Barnette’s office on Sept. 23 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at 350 South Grand Ave. for “the consistent and ongoing mismanagement of LAAS.”
The animal advocate’s concerns include failure to supervise animals in transport vehicles; failure to have proper floor temperature in kennels; failure to maintain and update data software; and Barnette’s policy on leaving stray animals on the streets. Barnette and Romero were not available for direct comment at press time.
5 Comments
Kudos galore for the likes of Darrigo, without whose tireless work I am sure the city would be perfectly complacent with the animal neglect and abuse at the hands of LAAS. We must, if we care about this city and the animals here, we MUST demand that our city officials take this seriously – now and forever, and I will be of any assistance I can to Mr. Darrigo, including attending continual protests as often as I can to try, desperately try, to improve the lives and chances of these poor animals. The city needs to prosecute breeders at the same time they try harder to care for the victims of the all-but-broken system.
Good article, thank you for the continuing updates on this very troubling situation with Brenda Barnette
To clarify and elaborate on some key points, let’s look at a few topics. 1. A “No Kill” city. Being No Kill does NOT mean you have better services from your department, it is a metric measurement that is satisfied when a numerical value is attained. You can have all the strays on the streets, despotism of our communities, abuse of powers yet still qualify by shipping all the animals out of state. A World Class Shelter uses the model “no adoptable animal is euthanized” meaning it has the highest integrity for a shelter that cares for it’s animals, has a high level of community outreach and collaboration. It’s performance standards are always evaluated and adjusted to perform beyond expectations.
2. Controller Galperin’s audit was thorough for a small segment of department performance and even that showed valid concern for dodgy metrics. (pg.16 of the audit) This was NOT an audit of overall performance of the department and please don’t be mislead that it was. Page 14 states, “The primary objective of this audit was to assess and validate the completeness, relevance and reliability of Animal Services’ data collection, sources and accuracy for currently reported statistics in light of prior audit recommendations.”
So how long does it take for an Officer to respond to a field call?
This audit is not a Performance evaluation but a tiny slice of operational data. Ron Galperin had access to so much information and didn’t report it.Disappointing.
3. It was a breakthrough. There has never been a outside audit to this caliber of LAAS that I am aware of (there have been evaluations in the past, not acted on). This process takes politics out of the loop and truly evaluates a department’s performance by interviewing all the staff, reviewing it’s operational processes and reporting it’s findings and suggestions for a desired outcome: a World Class Shelter. This conversation is huge because the objective is declared. And, there is a lot more work to do which can not be covered here.
To summarize, I want to thank all the people who rescue and give their hearts out for Los Angeles and the animals, wildlife and our communities. For all the people who protested and continue to protest for change. Persistence is key and we must continue to hold the torch of transformation which means supporting the congruent cause – A world Class Los Angeles Animal Services Shelter system. After all, it’s our city and we’re responsible.
The power of assembly to voice concerns cannot be underrated.
“First they they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” — Gandhi
We must not let up the pressure now! Next protest will be directed toward Brenda Barnette who has shown almost no responsibility toward or compassion for the animals whose welfare she is entrusted with.
God may this at the veryeast put City, County employees on their guard -known g were watching them!!! Just do the right thing-your job-stopping the killing mentality is #1. Mr.Darrigo -wow-you are an Angel -God bless U to keep up / stay on them for bringing all this to fruition-thank you!