DEVORE ANIMAL SHELTER - DOING BETTER THAN MOST

Recently this blog reported the Grand Jury report for Devore. 

http://devoreshelterfriends.blogspot.com/2015/07/grand-jury-completes-investigation-of.html

While other shelters are cutting their days and hours, Devore has adhered to the suspended Hayden Law hours. Why? Because Devore cares, they know these extended hours are crucial to owners trying to find their pets after work. Or for those who work and want to adopt can find it easier. Even No Kill's great Rancho Cucamonga experiment has them closing one day a week. 

Other shelters are being mired in lawsuits. 

·         Week of May 24, 2015 – SAN DIEGO COUNTY:  A Veterinarian employed by the San Diego County Department of Animal Services files litigation against the County which alleges animal abuse, failure to following various State Laws pertaining to veterinary medicine and animal care along with discrimination.  The following link will take you to a news report regarding this litigation:http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/Ice-puppies-at-county-animal-shelters--305253741.html and this link will take you to the filed lawsuit: http://media.utsandiego.com/news/documents/2015/05/27/pupsuit.pdf  San Diego County Animal Services has been presented as a model for municipal animal shelter services which others should replicate.   

Or their Grand Jury wasn't so nice.

 Week of May 17, 2015 – ORANGE COUNTY:  The Orange County Grand Jury issues a scathing fifteen (15) page report alleging, “The County’s lack of leadership and lack of commitment to animal care.”  The report can be viewed at:  http://www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/2014_2015_GJreport/OC_animal_shelter.pdf  This report follows a critical 108 page performance audit that was authored by the County and released on March 24, 2015, which can be viewed at:  http://cams.ocgov.com/Web_Publisher/Agenda03_24_2015_files/images/O00315-000276A.PDF  The Department’s Director resigned in late 2014.  Several critical news stories have been published about the current state of affairs at Orange County Animal Services and the following link will take you to just one of those many stories which is entitled, “Grand jury report rips Orange County over crumbling animal shelter”  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/county-662724-jury-grand.html

Or are in turmoil because of No Kill activists.

         Week of June 7, 2015 – CITY OF IRVINE: The Irvine City Council receives a summary report from the private consultant JVR Shelter Strategies hired to assess the operations of the City’s animal shelter facilities after the Director of Animal Services resigns along with the City’s Chief Veterinarian who oversees shelter operations.  Animal Welfare Advocates aggressively attacked staff and personnel which forced the Director and Chief Veterinarian to resign.  The Irvine Animal Shelter has an operational budget of approximately $4,000,000.00 for shelter operations exclusively, not including field services or other operations, and was once presented as the State’s Leading Municipal Animal Shelter facility.  The City Council will be allocating additional funding and positions in FY 2015-16 as they continue their recruitment for a new Director.  The update for the City of Irvine can be viewed on the City’s website at: http://www.irvinequickrecords.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=4902&doctype=Agenda agenda item 5.1.

·         Week of June 14, 2015 – CITY OF HESPERIA: On Tuesday, June 16, 2015 the City Manager, Mike Podegracz authors a report pertaining to suspended Animal Control Laws (Hayden Bill-Senate Bill 1785).  The report can be located on the City’s website at: http://legistar.granicus.com/hesperia/meetings/2015/6/1022_A_City_Council_15-06-16_Meeting_Agenda.pdf agenda item 11.  An animal welfare attorney attends the City Council meeting and states the report is significantly deficient and inaccurate.  The report appears to be inaccurate.  The City of Hesperia has been under attack by animal welfare “advocates/activists” for the past sixty (60) days and the City currently has a 50% vacancy rate at their animal shelter. 

Speaking of turmoil, the City of Los Angeles is a slow learner. They continued to hold on to No Kill, and this will be their second failure. 

·         Week of June 28, 2015 – LOS ANGELES CITY: A protest involving approximately 150 individuals has taken place this past weekend in front of the home of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.  The following link will take you to an ABC7 news report of the protest:  http://abc7.com/news/animal-rights-activists-allege-severe-animal-abuse-in-los-angeles-shelters/813282/  and the following link will direct you to a YouTube video outlining the protest:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBildE1idpo&feature=youtu.be  You may remember the City of Los Angeles was the agency that “bonded”  $154,000,000.00 to upgrade the City’s animal shelter facilities in early 2000.  The total project budget actually grew to in excess of $184,000,000.00 to build or remodel the City’s animal shelter facilities.  The total annual operating budget for Los Angeles City Animal Services is in excess of $43,000,000.00 and is arguably the highest funded Animal Control Agency in the State of California.