Pets

Animal Welfare Directors: Helping Los Angeles Communities and the Animals That Live There

It is a man’s sympathy for all creatures that really makes him a man. Until he extends his circle of compassion to all living beings, man himself will not find peace.

These words spoken decades ago by Albert Schweitzer ring true to a special group of dedicated and caring Angelenos. Named to be the eyes and ears of those who cannot speak for themselves, Directors of Animal Welfare (DAWs) work with their Neighborhood Councils to address issues, initiate proposals, and hold events aimed at solving problems or raising awareness on issues that help the humans. and the animals coexist in harmony. In 1999, the new Los Angeles City Charter divided Los Angeles into 90 geographic areas, each empowered by a Neighborhood Council to represent their respective neighborhoods.

In October 2004, Valley Glen Council Member Dr. Charlotte Laws introduced the idea of ​​appointing a representative to each Neighborhood Council to handle animal-related issues. The Director of Animal Welfare program was part of his bid to make Los Angeles a city without death. With approximately 40,000 dogs, cats and small animals euthanized annually in Los Angeles at a cost of $ 14 million, it is a crisis that needs resolution. Valley Glen, convinced by Dr. Laws’ enthusiasm and good ideas, immediately appointed her to the position in her area. In addition, Laws proposed the formation of a California Animal Commission. Comprised of unpaid individuals committed to animal welfare, the Commission would act as an advisor to help cities and counties achieve the goal of not killing in their public shelters. According to Laws, “This would be an important first step in ending the needless slaughter of tens of thousands of animals each year.” If formed, California would be the first to have such a Commission and would lead the nation in recognizing the plight of its animals.

There are 2.6 million dogs and cats in private homes in Los Angeles County, so helping them coexist peacefully with humans makes sense. Recently, Ed Boks, General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services (LAAS), wrote a letter to the 90 Neighborhood Councils encouraging them to support the DAW Program and select a stakeholder as their representative. Currently 35 DAWs have been designated, so the program is still looking for more people to participate. With eleven committees, there is something for everyone, from spay / neuter education to elephant exhibit themes at the Los Angeles Zoo; from disaster preparedness plans to horse trails to animal cruelty cases.

According to George Shea, Burbank DAW, “The value of the DAW program is simply that if you like animals [issues], it can feel isolated: a group of separate groups who do not know what others are doing and with no real influence behind us. Becoming a DAW has brought everything together … I am not alone in my struggles; we exchange ideas and support each other’s goals. “

Reseda DAW Missy Woodward was already active on your Neighborhood Council before being named your Director of Animal Welfare. His council took its time, listened to Woodward speak, had its president attend a DAW meeting, and asked many questions. They then felt that appointing a DAW to their council would be of mutual benefit. Reseda, a city on the brink of revitalization, has made Emergency Preparedness a priority and hopes to provide a van with all the supplies its community will need in the event of the “big one.” Community members will be trained in CERT (Certified Emergency Rescue Team) and preparations will also be made for their animals. Woodward feels that “the Katrina disaster showed us the best and the worst,” and hopes Angelenos will learn from it and be prepared, for themselves and their animals.

Kris Kelly, DAW of Beverly Hills and Pacific Palisades, feels the show’s greatest accomplishment to date is the relationship it formed with Ed Boks. “I think Mr. Boks and his department no longer feel alienated by the animal community. We are working together throughout Los Angeles.” The DAW Animal Abuse Committee, chaired by Kelly, was recently asked to join the new Los Angeles Animal Cruelty Task Force to share ideas and achieve goals. According to Kelly, “The only way we’re really going to make Los Angeles a non-killing city is by joining hands, not fighting each other.” Different groups have different approaches, but their goals are the same, so the DAW Program is serving as a unifying conduit to make things happen, a kind of “United Nations” of Animal Welfare.

Case in point: The combined efforts of several DAWs, the West Hollywood Neighborhood Council, and the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department recently arrested a puppy dealer who was abusing underage puppies. This criminal now lives in a cell much more spacious than the animals housed in our city and county shelters, but at least he can’t hurt any more dogs, at least for the moment.

Atwater Village, located near the Los Angeles River, has long been a dump for unwanted pets, so its five DAWs hosted a monthly Pet Adoption Fair at the Farmer’s Market on Glendale Blvd. In addition, the group educates residents unaware of chain and strap laws. According to Beatrice Shapiro, “Any resident who violates a leash law first receives information about the rules and the best ways to restrain their pets. On a second offense, the resident receives a courtesy notice with the offending Municipal Code attached. To broadcast the message, Animal Control is contacted regarding the violation. “

At Lake Balboa, Lisa Reveen is busy with an avian cause. “A well-meaning lady comes every morning to feed the birds, but her good intentions have led to chaos for everyone,” Reveen explains. “Travelers go through the park to avoid the main roads and since there are no speed bumps or stop signs visible, they do so at high speed. Ducks, geese and other species of birds, which now depend on their morning feed, are already They are unaware of cars, dogs or people who hurt them and are losing their lives at alarming rates. ” Reveen is requesting speed bumps and stop signs, as well as visible law enforcement officers to slow traffic and prevent people from feeding wildlife.

Attorney Tiffany Krog, who is the DAW for the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council, hopes to put her animal legal expertise to use by encouraging LAAS to put in place a screening process for potential Pit Bull adopters. Krog says: “By helping animals and promoting their well-being, humans also benefit. It has been established for some time that animal abuse is a clear indicator of violence towards humans. It is not only physically abused this breed, but is vilified and unfairly misrepresented … The reality is that pit bulls are being used successfully as search and rescue dogs and have statistically scored higher on temperament tests than golden retrievers of the American Temperament Testing Society “. Additionally, Krog is working to ensure that LAAS implements a breeding program so that the animals can be placed in a home or foster home while court cases are still pending. Currently, test animals are kept in special areas of the shelter where they cannot be seen by the general public and therefore have no possibility of adoption. An abuse case can take a year or more to process and all this time the animals are in hiding.

The Animal Welfare Directors have a lot on their plate and congratulations to Charlotte Laws, the program has created an environment that welcomes all causes and views. People come from diverse backgrounds with different priorities, yet they find organization an excellent forum to make things happen. After speaking with a dozen or more members of this grassroots organization, I discovered that they function like the many spokes on a wheel … together they move forward and remain in balance. Most are pet owners and are concerned about Animal Welfare (those whose goal is to prevent suffering and care for animals) and some are Animal Rights Activists (those who wish to end all humane exploitation of animals ). There are real estate agents, lawyers, rescuers, hairdressers, photographers, actors, business professionals, athletes, and at least one doctor who, together, are turning the wheel of progress and hope to steer Los Angeles in the direction of Mahatma Gandhi’s vision. : the moral. The greatness of the national must be judged by the way he treats animals.

For more information, visit http://www.dawprogram.org or contact DAW President Dr. Charlotte Laws at (818) 781-5280. The program has already spread to Orange and San Diego counties and even Canada. Don’t just say you want to make a difference, just do it! Become an Animal Welfare Director or DAW Assistant and get involved in your community.

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