WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING AT ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL

As of March 2014

The good news is that the AC&C is no longer wallowing in the worst circle of Hell ….. a hell created by NYC’s Department of Health.

The bad news is that the Department of Health is still very in charge… a fact that spells continuing misery for far too many of NYC’s homeless animals.

As a Mayoral candidate, Bill de Blasio promised to reform the AC&C.  Now two months into his position as Mayor, Mr. De Blasio has been silent on the subject.

Nor has the City’s new Health Commissioner (Dr. Mary Bassett) turned her attention to the AC&C.  Perhaps Deputy Health Commissioner Daniel (no friend to animals) Kass has convinced his boss that all’s well at the AC&C.

Until the Mayor and/or the Health Commissioner declare that the Department of Health is UNhealthy for animals, the same old-same old continues.

And that’s bad news for NYC’s homeless animals.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS

It wasn’t that long ago you could count on top AC&C insiders to concede – off the record, of course – that the DOH has absolutely no business running the AC&C.

But now when one asks, the mantra is: “The DOH is the AC&C’s BFF.”

What’s come over them?

They may be drinking the DOH Kool-Aid, but we aren’t.

THE PRESSURE TO MISREPRESENT

On its website the AC&C vows it is “committed to transparency and honesty.”

False.

To keep the DOH happy, the AC&C has always misrepresented facts and figures.

For example, over a period of years the AC&C offered up patently false and misleading kill numbers.

The AC&C simply erased thousands of dead dogs and cats from their published kill numbers.  Even after Shelter Reform Action Committee called them on that falsity, the AC&C refuses to correct their numbers.  So much for transparency and honesty.

For years the AC&C has claimed it is committed to the “humane” treatment of its animals even while shelter animals suffer and die.

For years the AC&C has mislabeled its dogs and cats to rationalize why those animals were killed.  (They had to please The Maddie’s Fund)..

But the whopper to beat all whoppers is still ahead of us.  Come 2015 the AC&C will declare itself “no kill.”

IMPROVEMENTS

The recent extra funding from the DOH has enabled the AC&C to claw its way out of some of the worst conditions of the 2010-2011 period. That was when the DOH imposed steadily more savage cuts to the AC&C’s already pitiful budget. (Then DOH Commissioner Farley and his Deputy, Daniel Kass, were in charge of those cuts.  Now Kass sits on the AC&C Board.)

AC&C executives responded by cutting core services but never admitted how dire the situation had become.  No one stood up to the DOH.

No one.

Instead, at every AC&C Board Meeting during that period, AC&C Executive Directors spoke of “amazing” progress.

AC&C Executive Director Risa Weinstock’s Powerpoint Presentation at the January 2014 Board meeting was no exception . . . albeit with one important difference: there has been some legitimate progress.

Yet, almost every claimed improvement comes with a significant “but.”  Here’s our analysis of those significant “buts”:

More Employees than ever before:  According to Weinstock the AC&C has maxed out with its largest number of employees ever: 250.  From a low of 129 employees in 2011, that’s an impressive leap.

NOTE: If 250 is the magic number, then why has the AC&C recently decided it won’t replace employees who have left or were fired?  (Also, the AC&C has recently declared itself an overtime-free zone … even to the detriment of animals.)  The AC&C’s is acting as though it’s in a budget-cutting mode.  What’s going on?

A Medical Director :  After a 3 year vacancy in this crucial position, the AC&C at last has a Medical Director.  Dr. Lisa Hara Levin says that reducing shelter disease is her first priority.  Dr. Levin strikes us as sincere.  She explained how important it is to reduce stress on the animals because stress is a major factor contributing to disease.

NOTE:  Even a known shelter disease specialist (Dr. Stephanie Janezcko), who also spoke about reducing stress, couldn’t make a dent in reducing the AC&C’s almost 100% infection rate.  We wish Dr. Levin good luck.  She’ll need it.  She can’t look to the DOH for help in providing more space (overcrowding can cause stress).  The DOH’s position is that there’s plenty of space.   

Fosters: The AC&C is adding more and more fosters.  Both Dr. Levin and Executive Director  Weinstock explained that fosters are important because they keep AC&C animals safe and healthy.

NOTE:  Indeed AC&C animals need to be kept safe … from the AC&C.  So, the solution to shelter overcrowding seems to be to shift animals into foster homes … creating an alternate shelter system of sorts.  Leaving any dog or cat inside the AC&C shelter is a guarantee that it will fall ill.

According to a survey, fosters told the AC&C that they were least interested in fostering large dogs 

NOTE: Unfortunately large dogs make up the largest segment of the AC&C’s dog population.  Most AC&C large dogs are pits and pit mixes. 

An Expanded AC&C Board:  As part of the negotiations for what became Local Law 59 (relieving the DOH of its obligation to create shelters in the Bronx and Queens), the DOH promised to expand the AC&C Board by adding two more non-government directors.  All 6 non-government members were present at the January 2014 Board meeting, instead of being no-show’s as some of their predecessors often were.

NOTE:  It took the DOH a full two years to make good on that promise.  (Apparently, it takes time to find just the right non-government directors, including one who is a former Deputy Health Commissioner).  Will these 6 non-government directors rise up and outvote the 3 government directors, amend the AC&C bylaws, and declare the AC&C independent of DOH control?  Not on your life. 

AC&C Statistics Look Better Than Ever: 

–  “Adoptions” are up:  For the first time in its 19-year history the AC&C is focusing on adopting out its animals. This is good news because until June 2013, the AC&C sat by as rescuers did the hard work, pulling animals from the shelter, struggling to restore them to health, and then and only then, trying to find them permanent homes. 

–  Transfers to Rescue Groups are up:  Even with the AC&C’s new focus on direct adoptions, in 2013 rescue groups accounted for 71% of the AC&C “Placements.”

–  Euthanasia Numbers are down.  The numbers look very good, but no one (except for the AC&C and the DOH) knows what the actual kill numbers are.  For years the AC&C simply erased thousands of deaths from its statistics and claim they have no idea what the real numbers are.  (See Koslow Statement 1.30.14 to ACC Board.)  In addition, why are beautifully behaved dogs like Brooklyn “helper” dogs being killed?  Why are readily treatable dogs and cats still being killed?  Why is the AC&C still killing feral cats?  Why are DOH-Hold dogs and cats still being killed when the vast majority pose absolutely no threat to people (either for disease or behavior)? 

–  Intake numbers are down:  Animal shelters nationwide are experiencing reduced intake numbers and the AC&C is no exception.  That’s really good news.  But we’ll never know what the AC&C’s intake numbers should be because of the AC&C’s shameful history of quietly shutting its doors to thousands of incoming dogs and cats.  We won’t have a real grasp of those numbers until the DOH delivers 11 new transport vans for its Field Operations services, the Receiving Centers are open 12/7, and at least one shelter (Manhattan) is open 24/7 for intakes.

Changing the AC&C’s Image:  With the pro bono help of outside professionals, the AC&C is rebranding itself as the go-to place to find a new pet, not to abandon one.  It’s a great message.

NOTE: Unfortunately that message won’t resonate with Bronx and Queens residents who have only AC&C “Receiving (i.e., Dumping) Centers” … not shelters. 

A Mobile Adoptions Van:  Weinstock said that the AC&C needs to participate in more off-site adoption events as its 3 shelters aren’t easy to get to (an understatement).  Then just days after the January Board meeting, the AC&C announced a generous gift from the ASPCA and a local real estate firm: its first ever Mobile Adoptions Van.

NOTE:  According to the AC&C Mobile Adoptions Van schedule, Queens and Bronx will continue getting the short end of the stick.  Unlike the other 3 boroughs, the Bronx and Queens don’t have shelters … conveniently located or otherwise.  But the Adoptions Van isn’t focusing on the Bronx and Queens.

A New Staten Island Shelter:  After a three year delay, there was a groundbreaking for a new Staten Island shelter promised to open in 2015.  That new shelter will come on line despite the DOH.  Former Staten Island Borough President Molinaro insisted that his borough deserved a new shelter AND he raised the necessary funding. If it had been up to the DOH, Staten Island would continue being stuck with its tiny shelter.  Sadly, there’s never been a Queens or Bronx Borough President who insisted on animal shelters for their constituents. 

Increased Fundraising Activities:  The AC&C now holds frequent fundraising events and campaigns, raising more than $1 million in 2013.

NOTE:  The AC&C continues to misrepresent its fundraising success by including grants from the Mayor’s Alliance and the ASPCA.  How can the AC&C expect to attract substantial private donations if it’s effectively a government agency? 

Never has it entered the DOH’s bureaucratic head that the solution is to release its control over the AC&C (as the Stringer Report explains).  

Receiving Centers:  The AC&C has expanded the hours and days of operations of its Bronx and Queens “receiving” centers.  As a consequence, “intake” has increased dramatically at those receiving centers.

NOTE:  The DOH’s position is that Receiving Centers are suitable substitutes for full service shelters.

Volunteer Program:  AC&C reports it has more volunteers than ever before.  AC&C says that overall volunteer hours have increased as well as average hours spent with dogs and cats.

NOTE:  As always, the AC&C refuses to disclose how many volunteers and volunteers hours are spent helping those AC&C animals with the greatest needs.  We’re talking about the dogs and cats who are not in the Adoption wards.  These animals (who represent the vast majority of AC&C animals) are kept out of sight of the public as well as almost all the volunteers

Dogwalking Staff:  Under AC&C Executive Director Risa Weinstock, the AC&C has created a Dogwalking Staff.

NOTE: Ironically, AC&C dogwalkers were the first set of employees that then “Interim” Executive Director Weinstock dismissed in late 2009.

AC&C Dogwalkers are responsible for walking dogs that are not in the Adoptions wards.

NOTE:  Far too many of these non-Adoptions dogs still aren’t being walked, or at best, are walked only once a day.  We challenge the AC&C: commit to ensuring that every dog is guaranteed at least two walks a day.

TOWARDS A TRUE “NO KILL” AC&C

The Mayor’s Alliance says the AC&C is “on track to no-kill” by 2015.

But as long as the AC&C is run by people chosen for their sworn loyalty to the DOH and willingness to spout the DOH-Party-Line, the AC&C will never be a true “no kill” shelter.

DOH Deputy Commissioner Kass and AC&C Exec. Director Weinstock

New York City deserves shelter leaders (a) who are committed to creating a humane, progressive and true no-kill shelter; and (b) have the skills to make good on that commitment.

Selecting AC&C leaders for their subservience to the DOH isn’t the answer.

The cure for what ails the AC&C is to free it from DOH control.   Only then can the AC&C become a model shelter for the Nation while earning the public’s trust and support.

It’s really that simple.  Just read the Stringer Report.