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Bottom line... unless you wear a navy-blue uniform in this town, you're screwed. Nothing against cops or firemen, but the city should be taking a more holistic view of public safety, and selling it to the council and the constituency the way they sell the "more-police-and-fire" approach.
It's really easy to point a finger at the the troops on the ground doing the work, but management is ultimately responsible for the climate that breeds a toxic work environment. These problems that Carey writes about are indicative of a systemic breakdown in our city government's culture. This is why, for the last 10 years since Jim Hankla left, I've been hoping for a city manager from outside of Long Beach to bring in some new blood and overhaul the way we do business. I don't see Mr West making the sweeping changes needed to make a real difference.
http://www.lbreport.com/news/apr08/euth2.htm
I hope that after all this controversy clears up. The public, city managers, gods above will see how tough an ACO's job can be. and at least pay them more than the trashman.
Cats unfortunately do not fare as well, mostly due to the feral cat population. Only 16% of the 5,405 were adopted. 5,405 cats what does that tell you? Think about it before you jump into your truck with a bag of kitty chow and drive around town feeding the endless colonies of feral cats! You are not helping you are part of the problem!
Bottom line…SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR ANIMALS! Be responsible.
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Take responsibility for your pets. Spay or neuter.
#5- I stayed in the job because I loved the animals and I loved most of my fellow coworkers who treated the animals and people with respect.
#8- you are completely right
#10- that is a good list of what animal control officers do! ACO's are the first responders when you call 911 about a vicious animal. armed with only a stick doing a job even the police are afraid to do.
#12- I am not part of a law suit
#19- no comment
Friends of Long Beach Animals is a great organization! They promote respecting animals, proper pet care and control, and spaying and neutering. There are too many people out there who have pets that do not understand the amount of responsibility it takes. Also, too many people just let their animals get pregnant then do not know what to do with the litter. Too many people do not control their animals. These animals end up causing nuisances to the public as either an animal that is dangerous, is constantly loose, is relieving itself on other people's property, is constantly barking, etc. They could also be a nuisance or threat to their owners if not treated as a living being with physical and psychological needs. There are also laws in every city regarding animals. In essence, animals are like having children because the owner has to take care of all the animals needs. The biggest difference is that each breed needs something different. People need to research and understand what they are getting into. That is where organizations like LBAC and Friends of Long Beach Animals educate as many people they can on how to keep their animal from ending up in a shelter.
So, if it is not policy, and he signs it, does it exist when he is gone??? hmmmmm Grasshopper.
A former employee at the Oakland Animal Shelter has detailed what she says are systemic abuses by shelter management. The list of wrongdoings include euthanizing dogs that were cleared for adoption, euthanizing dogs without sedatives and in one case mistakenly leaving a live dog in a freezer in a barrel with dead dogs.
“I just couldn’t be part of that anymore,” said Lori Barnabe, a veterinary technician and animal control officer with Oakland from 1999 through 2004. Barnabe, who now works for an animal hospital in Alameda, detailed her concerns about shelter management to Oakland officials last month in a five-page letter obtained by the Daily Planet.
“We’re taking these charges very seriously,” said Oakland Deputy City Administrator Niccolo De Luca. He said Oakland Police, which run the shelter, were investigating Barnabe’s accusations and that the city administrator’s office would now take an active role in selecting the shelter’s next director. Last June, former Director Glenn Howell resigned to become Director of Animal Control Services for Contra Costa County.
In response to the allegations, and the ongoing search for a permanent replacement to Howell, Oakland councilmembers Jane Brunner and Ignacio De La Fuente have called a town-hall meeting Thursday, Feb. 17.
“We don’t have answers yet, but from what we have seen already in my opinion seems serious and needs serious investigation,” Brunner said.
Oakland Police and shelter officials did not return phone calls for this story, but are expected to attend the meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. at Oakland City Hall.
In addition to questioning the shelter’s euthanasia practices, Barnabe accused shelter brass of altering critical computer records to hide illegal euthanasias, holding dogs in kennels for cruel lengths of time, violating the rights of residents to retrieve their dogs, releasing stray dogs back to owners unneutered, failing to provide shelter workers with safety gloves, and overall neglect often resulting in unintended animal cruelty.
“These practices need to be investigated before the hiring process for the shelter top position is complete,” Barnabe concluded in her letter.
She accused Acting Director and longtime shelter official ReShan McClarty of violating state law governing euthanasia. Last Sept. 26, she wrote, McClarty ordered that 26 dogs be put to sleep even though the shelter had run out of a sedative. Barnabe also charged that the acting director ordered the euthanasia of a dog whose owner had said she would reclaim it.
Moreover, she wrote, he erased information from computer memos that indicated that a rescue group wanted a particular dog and altered temperament information about the dog, making it seem more violent, after it was euthanized.
On numerous occasions, she wrote, the shelter supervisor refused to speak to owners of impounded dogs, sometimes resulting in unnecessary boarding frees for owners. In one instance, according to Barnabe, the owner of an aggressive dog impounded by animal control was never given a hearing as required by shelter rules. It was held for over seven months and eventually euthanized, she added.
A lack of proper procedures endangered both employees and animals at the shelter, Barnabe wrote. Instead of providing shelter workers with disposable rubber gloves when handling animals with communicable diseases like ringworm, scabies and mange, the shelter provided one pair of gloves to be shared by employees.
Employees, she added, were never reprimanded for mistakes that unintentionally led to animal suffering. In one case, Barnabe wrote that kittens left to the shelter in the night drop box were not retrieved the following day, causing one of them to die from overheating.
Pam Smith, a volunteer with the group Fix Our Ferals, said shelter management barred her from the shelter last year after she complained about abuses.
“They’re very worried about their public face,” she said. “Anyone critical of them gets banned.”
Police traditionally run city animal shelters. Berkeley, which transferred control of its shelter from the BPD to a civilian shelter administrator remains a rare exception.
She worked ten to twelve hour days with no breaks to treat and document those NA animals! And all that time was needed because those animals were in way too bad of shape! We were also short staffed already so she got only a small amount of help when she should have had one or two full time helpers.
A circle of nobility and happiness. Always strive to do the noble thing and you will be rewarded by happiness. A person cannot live life to the fullest unless you do! If you keep to your values/morals/ethics than you will not have to constantly look back over your shoulder. You can spend more time living life because you are not spending all the time looking back and covering your tracks.. You can live in the moment and look toward the future. Also more people will love you for who you are and respect you for sticking to your own personality; this allows you to feel more love and give more love. To love and be loved (by family, friends and girlfriends/boyfriends) is essential to happiness. Leading back to the confidence and desire to do more noble acts. Making a circle of nobility and happiness.
And if you are getting undue problems from what you are doing you can at least feel good that you are doing to right thing for your own concience. Society will also show you that you are, which will help you keep that confidence in yourself to keep you doing the right thing.
This was the only way I was able to hold on in the depressing world of LBAC under the repressive management.
The title said Euthanasia Mishandling(S) There is another animal to investigate. This issue is being ignored and hidden for a reason. Who is responsible for this act of cruelty and why is it not public like the dog?
There also will be an outside investigator conducting the investigation into the mishandled animal incidents.
INCIDENTS!!!!
I bet you did not get a report of a dog who had to be euthanized because a chain was left on his neck for weeks at the shelter. Maybe the District can make that public for your viewing.
"Animal Control must also take "calculated risks" when dealing with vicious or wild animals, he said.
Peltier has two scars from dog bites - one on his hand from a pit bull and another on his shoulder from a German shepherd.
"It's never the dog's fault if you get bitten," he said. "We're trained for stuff like this."
He is no more able to handle that dog than a PetCo groomer. He was impounding the dog for bite quarantine and it bit him. HELLO, it already bit someone, be careful highly trained officer. He mishandled the dog while loading it onto his truck and got bit in the hand. Oh, and when he got bitten, in the course of his duty, he tried to sue the animal owner. IT'S YOUR JOB MORON. You were the butt of every joke at AC...Now kindly go back up to the quote. More to come.
"In his 15 years with Animal Control, Sgt. Steve Peltier has walked into scenes that would make most people's skin crawl.
As a field services supervisor for Long Beach Animal Control, Peltier..."
First off, he has not been there for 15 years, more like 5ish. He worked at a pet store before that. He is not a Sergeant, there is no such position in Long Beach Animal Control, it is something Quigley and Moore made up so Peltier could feel important. And if he is truely a "field services supervisor" then he IS responsible for the lack of training of those employees in that horrible euthanasia incident!!
"Peltier does pick up the occasional stray dog or dead cat in the road".
Because he occasionally actually has to help, but not much as he is clearly Quigleys favorite little man.
"Peltier saw similar incidents of hoarding during his eight years with L.A. County Animal Control."
He failed to tell you that he was just a reserve ACO for the county, they wouldn't hire him as a real officer due to his inability to follow their rules or get along with staff, so he just did it so he could wear a uniform and plastic badge. Call them and ask.
You sound like you need a beer or a shot!!
What is what a minute?
I do have a couple of questions.
What does it matter if you are a Eagle Scout?
You have a bachelor's degree and wanted to be a ACO what gives?
Did none of the zoo's want to hire you?
Just reading the story and a little lost in why someone with a degree would take a job that I don't think you have to have a degree to do. Before you say it that it was for the animals well the animals don't pay your bills so give me a real answer.
Do you know the reality of what is happening in the shleters? Are you aware of how many pets are being put to sleep? Are you aware of WHY this is happening? What, as a society , can we do about it? LBAC is given the job of controlling the population. Keeping the animals off the street, so the public is safe, etc. We need laws to enforce mandatory neuter. We need less pets coming in to the shelter. Everyone wants to blame the kill rate on the shleters. What about pet stores? What about backyard breeders?
Most people in LB are clueless to the massive massive overpopulation in this town. And when they hear of pets being put to be sleep they blame the shelter. Well, the shelter did not breed and abandon that pet folks.
However, the animals must be treated humanely while at the shelter.
Mandatory spay and Neuter at all levels.
I explained my background to let the people reading this know I am educated and well versed at life and able to handle he job. I took the job because it was an outdoor job working with animals. It is a constantly changing, challenging job that has lots of perks helping the animals. The shelter is also right down the street from my house so I did not have the stress of a commute. I took the job because I felt it would be great on my resume as my first full time job out of college. I felt the pay would be fair, and the equipment and training would be above average because it was a city job. As you can see I was wrong about the last sentence. It was the good stepping stone into the current job I enjoy now so it served its purpose.
I now understand that out of college it could be a stepping stone. It sounded as if you where a bit older and wondered about that choice as a career that as you stated a fair pay.
#128 Shut up
as you can see I got the answer I wanted a stepping stone to moving on and doing better things and is now happy. So sit there shut up and be unhappy. He had the smarts and moved on when he had enough because he was educated and that is what I was looking for. 100% am I saying that someone with a degree that goes to all the trouble to go to college goes out to make the most money they can and too not take a job that is limited on there pay scale and how fast they move up the ladder it is a very odd choice but as a resume builder and a stepping stone we have all taken that job just to build the resume too grow our selves and our pay scale. But you who sits there bitching and unhappy.
http://www.gazettes.com/animalcontrol04242008.html
Here is contact info if you want to give it a try:
" City Manager Pat West said John Keisler also has been assigned as acting business manager. As part of the investigations, city officials want to talk to people who’ve had negative experiences with Animal Control or have concerns about the facility. West said these people should call Keisler at 570-3051."
Meaninful change is not going to come about as long as the city runs the investigation. Time to get the state involved. Call State Senator Alan Lowenthal.
spcaLA is dedicated to the prevention of cruelty to animals through Education, Law Enforcement and Intervention.
PS this type of stuff happens in all agency's it is not unique to Long Beach, and not specific to animal control. Look at the stuff going on in the Police Dept.
past employees? not so much as current employees. a few have not yet gotten involved but soon will, some are trickling in. the current employees need the publics support to improve already trying conditions. some things are worse than what cops see, but there is no thin blue line in AC so let them do what is needed to get that help and support. thx
Start with losing Michelle Long Beach, that's a real good way to start cleaning house.
I hope the city has their eyes and ears open and don't try to whitewash this one...too.
If only your time was spent working while being paid to do so none of this would be happening. Instead you choose do do people like this. You all have obviosuly spend so much time not working and drumming things up not handleing business and it's all everyone elses fault. I have spent more time trying to get these nasty things removed that have individuals names on it because it's disgusting. The City is only interested in the "alleged" brutality and negelct not this gossip and personal hatred you have for each other.
Please stop all of it and wait for what ever it is you are waiting for. In the end I hope you get nothing because you all don't deserve it.
Long Beach Spay & Neuter: Antje Hunt & Lorraine Fishman; Ocean Club Condominium - Meeting Room; 1310 E. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802 US; Thurs., May 15, 7 p.m.; (562) 544-0335; Long Beach Spay & Neuter Foundation is inviting all animal lovers, advocates, rescuers and organizations in Long Beach and surrounding cities to attend a discussion on how best to establish a "No Kill" policy in our community. Our keynote speaker is Tom Kelch, a professor of law at Whittier College who specializes in animal law. In addition to discussing his personal views, Tom will recount recent discussions with Nathan Winograd, Director of the No Kill Advocacy Center, who has successfully created No Kill programs in several communities (ex. San Francisco SPCA). Call Lorraine if you have any questions (562) 544-0335; RSVP to lbsn2006@yahoo.com
The law states that the attorneys fees will be paid by the government agency breaking the law. This shelter is clearly breaking the Hayden Law.
In the rare event that the Plaintiff lost the lawsuit, I doubt (I could check) that any fees would be incurred.
Since the violations are pretty clear cut and the law is clear that the animals should be getting adopted and not pts'd, I doubt that our side will lose.
LBLocal, your comment is not factual. As a neighbor, you would not have knowledge of the complaint or who made it let alone what the officer did. And I highly doubt that you could randomly remember the officers name. You are clearly from LBAC and just trying to discredit the sources of true information, as you have done all along. You don't even live in Long Beach....come on, give a date and block location, If you are who you say.
Clean up LBAC and it's rude supervisors (LT's and Sgt's) self titled, again. The Spca needs to move on and get rid of this baggage. they have forgotten that it's about animals, not ego. These are not gentle beings, I see them ranting all the time, the big guy is always tugging on dogs on that pole,( I think the dogs don't like him and always try to bit him) and I am hardly ever there anymore.
"Ask C. Macy what happened when he cussed…..Red was responsible for that one too."
What do you have to say of all of this?? How does it all tie in?? Did she do something to you specifically??
So check this out then go and answer him back in the PT, always printing fluff bull s**t. Hey DW, why don 't you put the real story out. I bet initial source knows a lot, as do others. Hayden Violators!!!!!
"Team effort
As an employee of Mental Health America of Long Beach, whose mission is to improve the quality of life of mentally ill residents in Long Beach, it gives me great motivation just knowing that other agencies in our community are willing to help us.
One of our council members notified our office that a member of our community needed our services. Part of their issue included the care of about 70 cats, which they were housing in their two-bedroom apartment. The Long Beach Animal Control Center found new homes for the animals and instructed the original owners in proper cat care.
As a result, a limited number of cats were reunited with their original owners. Kudos to Lt. Michelle Quigley and her assistant, Susana Delima, who were instrumental in finding a win/win solution.
Herb R. Limoges
MHA Village Services coordinator
Long Beach"
So are the employees that were hired to do breeding enforcement now her personal assistants???? Long Beach dollars wasted again, get rid of that program for crying out loud, they clearly are using all the resources for other things. Theft of city money....again.
http://www.myspace.com/initialsource
Thank you for the post. I was actually planning on applying to them tomorrow, however, now that I've read up on the subject, I'll be looking elsewhere. However, I still am interested in working to help with animals in the area. Any advise?
Move on just like millions have to do because unions and management work side by side one pays the other off.
Good Luck
When one makes a claim against an entity like 'management,' their claims tend to be lauded by others who can relate to the same kind of treatment in their own lives. It's not uncommon for line employees to feel mistreated by 'management,' so there are many who can understand the frustration illustrated in this article. However, we mustn't forget that there is no such person as 'management.' Individuals allegedly incurred these issues against Mr. Macy - who were they? He names no one. This does not inspire confidence and credibility to the story presented here.
Partnership on the Rocks!!!
Category: Pets and Animals
Partnership on the Rocks!!!!!
Are you under the impression that all is hunky dory at “The Village”? Well, there are several problems between the two partners and the relationship appears to be on the rocks. Animal Services has decided to deny SpcaLA access to their kennel cards, which have important information like behavioral issues and medical history. The main reason that Animal Services is preventing the SpcaLA from viewing this information is because they still continue subjecting the animals to illegal and immoral things. Animal Services has a history of hiding information in the past.
They always say, “You can’t teach and old dog, new tricks”.
Initial Source
Damn shame.