# L. A. Shelter News



## Pipp (Feb 7, 2007)

*Animal killing on way out, Boks says*

_BY DANA BARTHOLOMEW, Staff Writer_
Article Last Updated:02/05/2007 12:00:45 PM PST


Animal Services boss Ed Boks isn't content with the 7 percent drop in dog and cat deaths during his first year in office. 
In his drive to make Los Angeles a no-kill city, he aims to double the decrease in 2007. 
"There's a clear recognition in Los Angeles that pets our part of ourfamily," said Boks, general manager of the Los Angeles Animal ServicesDepartment. 
"We're not only making up for all the years of neglect. We're taking the lead." 
During his first year as alpha dog of the city's most-embattleddepartment, Boks claims to have increased shelter services and broughtkill rates to an all-time low. 
The city's six animal shelters last year euthanized 19,215 dogs andcats - a 6.6 percent drop from 2005, according to the department. 
In its most dramatic decrease, city shelters cut dog deaths by 14.2percent. Of the nearly 7,000 dogs destroyed, 41 percent were pit bulls.
Cats didn't fare so well, with a 1.3 percent drop in euthanasia. Ofmore than 12,000 cats killed, 48 percent were orphaned kittens tooyoung to survive on their own. 
"Target populations we have to focus our resources on in 2007 are ourpit bulls and our cats," Boks said. "As we get ourferal catand pit bull populations under control, we will take yet another giantleap toward no-kill." 
Some critics, however, remained deeply skeptical of the formerclergyman - accusing him of not only fudging his numbers, but fumblingkey opportunities to save animals. 
They charge him with straight-arming his most vociferous critics,rebadging old programs and failing to fill 10 critical veterinarypositions. 
They say that a state law requiring city shelters to spay and neutertheir animals would have reduced euthanasias - Boks or no Boks. 
"Even (if) the general manager didn't do anything at all, which is justabout what you've got, the numbers would go down," said former AnimalServices Commissioner Laura Beth Heisen. 
Boks has also drawn fire for the department's association with a"Hooters for Neuters" bikini contest and for biblical scripture beingplaced on and removed from his city blog. 
"I am presently disappointed with the results of his management," saidMichael Bell of Encino, founder of Citizens for a Humane Los Angeles."I cannot see any evidence of, or any attempt to conduct, a no-killpolicy. 
Others lavished praise on the manager hired to turn around an outmoded animal-shelter system besieged by angry activists. 
Unlike some predecessors, they say, Boks has spent thousands of dollarsto treat injured animals that previously would have been summarilyeuthanized. 
They also praise him for partnering with rescue groups inspaying/neutering people's pets and finding homes for shelter animals. 
"It's a tough row to hoe being head dog catcher," said Teri Austin,president of the Amanda Foundation, the region's largest rescue groupfor dogs and cats, which operates a mobile spay-neuter clinic with cityfunds. 
"I would say (Boks) has made the most difference of the last 10 people who have held that office." 
A flamboyant manager who'd lowered animal deaths in New York City andPhoenix, Boks was hired in January 2006 by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosato replace Guerdon Stuckey, fired amid storms of protest byanimal-welfare groups. 
Some of the most strident activists questioned Boks' qualifications andaccused him of bringing his "Ed Boks Show" - and hyped-up promises - toLos Angeles. 
Many others took a wait-and-see approach to Boks, the city's fifth Animal Services chief in five years. 
During 2006, Boks claims to have launched an array of programs aimed atincreasing pet adoptions and reducing animal deaths by 10 percent eachyear. 
He also managed to increase his annual budget from $18.5 million to $25million and hired 178 new workers, including two widely praisedassistant general managers. 
This year, seven new state-of-the-art animal shelters are expected toincrease kennel space from 595 to 1,770, giving each animal more timefor adoption. 
Much more is needed, everyone agrees, to achieve the no-kill goal of local activists. 
In addition to new programs targeting unwanted pit bulls and feralcats, Heisen recommended offering low-cost spay-neutering at all cityshelters. Others say it will take an entire community willing to treatanimals like family - and not dump unwanted pets at city shelters. Withroughly 1,200 animals each day at city shelters, people must learn tolook there for pets. 
"We need to shine a light on ourselves - how we can better care for ouranimals," said Scott Sorrentino, co-founder of the NorthHollywood-based Rescue &amp; Humane Alliance, presenter of the"Paw-fect Match" event. 
"Every person who buys an animal (elsewhere), instead of going to a shelter or rescue group, is indirectly killing an animal."

[email protected] 
(818) 713-3730 

IF YOU GO 
A "Paw-fect Match SuperAdoption" will be held, 
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at all six city animal shelters, with 
discounted adoption fees and animal training. Call (888) 452-7381, or see 
http://www.laanimalservices.com.


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## missyscove (Feb 7, 2007)

I was glad to see the pawfect match eventgetting publicity. I was planning to go, but my school'sWinter Formal is the same day. My shelter had enoughvolunteers though, so they don't need me there that dayeither. 

The statistics in that article are sad, but the new shelters with morespace will give the animals more time. More space = moretime.


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## missyscove (Feb 7, 2007)

Oh, and as far as the rabbits go, my shelter(east valley) though I'm not sure about the others, isn't euthanizingany more rabbits. The bad thing about that is for some ofthose rabbits who aren't highly adoptable. They'll just be inthere forever.


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## Pipp (Feb 7, 2007)

This reminds me of something I've been meaning to post. 

When I see a Petfinder pic of a bunny frolicking among the flowersin a foster family's back yard, I turn the page. 

When I see a sad, lonely or scared little rabbit in a plain wire cage, it tugs on my heartstrings.

I didn't want another bunny, had no intentions of getting one, and then I saw this pic of Dill... 







And I couldn't get him out of there fast enough. 






Took Darry (next door), too. 

Just something for rescues and shelters to think about. 

PS: Even before hitting the send button, just looking at this pic again, I had to go give him a hug. 

sas


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## mlzbb (Feb 7, 2007)

Dill is BEAUTIFUL! I wish I could get another bun.


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## bluebird (Mar 12, 2007)

I have been to our local shelter lots of times ihave never seen any bunnys.i took in one rescue last year.i think theARAS exxagerate the amounts too make people feel bad soo theywill give more money.bluebird


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## missyscove (Mar 12, 2007)

Maybe your shelter doesn't get many rabbits, butours does. For example, a few days ago, two mini lops came inwith 3 10 day old kits. "Kitten Season" hasn't really startedyet, but when it does, many unweaned kittens will be euthanized unlessthey can find foster feeders. A number of pit bulls and otherdogs and cats are euthanized every day because no one wants them,because they are old, because they may be aggressive, because they'referal whatever the reason. The above numbers aren'texagerations. That's the harsh reality.


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## gentle giants (Mar 12, 2007)

OUr local shelter doesn't take rabbits at all.There are one or two people that will take one on sometimes, includingme. I have rescued six in my time since 2004 when I started breeding,unfortunatly five of those are still in my barn, eating their bunnyheads off! The problem I have is, most of the ones I wind up with are"problem children" and have behavioral issues, so I don't feel that Ican send them off to just anyone, and really "qualified" people aresoooo hard to find! I have a doe that is aggessive, (she gets spayedthis spring) and attacks anything I put in her cage-including her ownfeed bowl. One is an English Spot that has snuffles, so I can't get himfixed, or send him to a new home either. And the list goes on.
I want to become a rabbit rescue, at least a small one, but I am so frustrated with it right now it's incredible. 
Sorry, I needed to vent!


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