I’m the cofounder of the LA Animal Cruelty Task Force in 2000 and was possibly the first full time animal cruelty prosecutor. As part of the Task Forces’s accomplishment of which I am most proud, I also implemented protocols that you referred to which insured that for almost 9 years virtually every case animal was fostered or adopted within weeks of filing charges. We didn’t have to wait for a conviction. That was using existing laws as you also mentioned. It’s been horribly frustrating seeing those protocols abandoned by the LA City Attorney, DA and Animal Services. What was even more frustrating was that the former “interim” GM of Animal Services had been in the Task Firxe and knew about the protocols. Yet she told the LA times and media they couldn’t release animals until a conviction. Thus the shelter had case animals languishing for years. I’m glad for the new legislation but thanks for letting people know these protocols existed beforehand and it’s only because of the DA and LA City Attorney abandoning these procedures that countless abused animals suffered even after being impounded. I responded to the LA Times report on this when the former GM lied and said there wasn’t anyway to release these animals until a conviction. I also changed policy so that case animals had the highest priority in finding new loving homes. Since retirement and that of my DA colleague Debbie Knaan the system fell apart.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, although it saddens me that your experiences match mine. The sheer uncaring and rank dishonesty are staggering, but tragically not surprising. Unless you object, I am going to amplify your comment in a follow-up article.
Of course. I just participated in a zoom call about our skid row animas that included the new LA GM and a former LA City Councilmember. The new GM (who I feel for her disgracefully underfunded budget) her ridiculous budget) claimed we eed new criminal laws before we can prosecute. She didn’t know what she was talking about. A non lawyer of course who was probably told that by an apathetic prosecutor. Before me prosecutors used to use excuses like that to avoid criminal prosecution. Aaargh. And the council member incorrectly stated that the former task force performed without any need for extra funding. She was so dead wrong and I fumed listening to her suggest they don’t need extra money to have a Task Force. It was so frustrating.
I’m the cofounder of the LA Animal Cruelty Task Force in 2000 and was possibly the first full time animal cruelty prosecutor. As part of the Task Forces’s accomplishment of which I am most proud, I also implemented protocols that you referred to which insured that for almost 9 years virtually every case animal was fostered or adopted within weeks of filing charges. We didn’t have to wait for a conviction. That was using existing laws as you also mentioned. It’s been horribly frustrating seeing those protocols abandoned by the LA City Attorney, DA and Animal Services. What was even more frustrating was that the former “interim” GM of Animal Services had been in the Task Firxe and knew about the protocols. Yet she told the LA times and media they couldn’t release animals until a conviction. Thus the shelter had case animals languishing for years. I’m glad for the new legislation but thanks for letting people know these protocols existed beforehand and it’s only because of the DA and LA City Attorney abandoning these procedures that countless abused animals suffered even after being impounded. I responded to the LA Times report on this when the former GM lied and said there wasn’t anyway to release these animals until a conviction. I also changed policy so that case animals had the highest priority in finding new loving homes. Since retirement and that of my DA colleague Debbie Knaan the system fell apart.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, although it saddens me that your experiences match mine. The sheer uncaring and rank dishonesty are staggering, but tragically not surprising. Unless you object, I am going to amplify your comment in a follow-up article.
Of course. I just participated in a zoom call about our skid row animas that included the new LA GM and a former LA City Councilmember. The new GM (who I feel for her disgracefully underfunded budget) her ridiculous budget) claimed we eed new criminal laws before we can prosecute. She didn’t know what she was talking about. A non lawyer of course who was probably told that by an apathetic prosecutor. Before me prosecutors used to use excuses like that to avoid criminal prosecution. Aaargh. And the council member incorrectly stated that the former task force performed without any need for extra funding. She was so dead wrong and I fumed listening to her suggest they don’t need extra money to have a Task Force. It was so frustrating.