June 2010 Board Meetig

June 23, 2010

Good morning, Board of Directors. I’m Esther Koslow. I’m on the Board of Shelter Reform
Action Committee. I also volunteered at the AC&C for a few years.

I attended my first AC&C Board Meeting in 2007. You never identify yourselves at these
meetings. I think it would be helpful if you did.

Let’s see if we can figure out who’s who. There are supposed to be 7 directors on the
Board, but only 4 of you are here today. Three of the 7 seats are reserved for government
officials: one for the Dept of Health, another for the Dept of Police, and the third for the
Dept of Parks. Ordinarily, one doesn’t associate these departments with being in the
vanguard of animal advocacy. (It used to be more peculiar: there was a time when the
Commissioner of Sanitation was the Board Chairman. Animals. Garbage. Someone
must’ve thought there was a connection.)

Dr. Thomas Farley, you are the new Commissioner of Health. When you assumed that
position last Fall, you were immediately given a seat on the AC&C board. Your fellow
directors quickly voted you to be their new Chairman, even though you had no prior
experience with the AC&C.

Is Mr. Adrian Benepe, the Commissioner of Parks, here? Yes? No? [NO ANSER} He’s
listed as a Director Will we ever be told who represents him at these meetings?
How about the Police Dept? Is Police Chief Kelly here? Yes? No? How does he choose
his representative? Is a representative here today? [NO RESPONSE]

The remaining 4 directors are so-called “independents.”   The word “independent” is a bit
fuzzy. All four are appointed by Mayor Bloomberg. We never hear that any independent
director challenges the Dept of Health. The last time an independent director objected was
back in 1997. Actually, two objected then, and they were quickly bounced off the Board.
All AC&C Directors are effectively appointed by Mayor Bloomberg. Even so, you owe a
fiduciary responsibility to the AC&C and its animals. But you don’t visit the Shelters. Never
curious about seeing conditions there for yourselves? If you respond to letters or e-mails
about the AC&C, you appear to be reading from the same script:

“Adoptions are Up. Euthanasia is Down. We’re so proud of the AC&C. It’s doing just
great. And the Dept of Health really has tried to create those missing shelters in the Bronx
and Queens. It’s not their fault, really. “

Lately, you’ve proudly pointed out that the euthanasia rate is now ONLY 33%. That means
that only 1 in 3 animals is killed at the AC&C. I grant you, a 33% kill rate is a heck of a lot
better than a 72% kill rate that existed years ago. (The credit, by the way, goes
overwhelmingly to rescuers, organized through the efforts and funding by the Mayor’s
Alliance. These rescuers face increasing financial difficulties and stress in their efforts to
keep up the pace of pulling and pulling. They sacrifice everyday. They pull all these animals
but have no place to put them because their foster and adoption networks are drying up in
this economy. But nevertheless, many thanks go to rescuers. And thank you, the Mayor’s
Alliance.)

If you’re fond of statistics, how about this one? 100% of the animals who enter any AC&C
shelter will be exposed to highly contagious diseases. If they arrive healthy, they will get
sick.

One more statistic. The Board recently approved the DOH’s selection of the newest
AC&C Executive Director – Julie Bank. Welcome, Ms. Bank. You are the 8th Executive or
Interim Executive Director in as many years. That’s 8 for 8. A rather unfortunate statistic.

What conditions has this Board greeted you with?

An AC&C that’s never had sustained leadership.

It’s the most underfunded shelter in the U.S. But now, with the recent $1.5 million budget
cut, the AC&C holds the record as the most disgracefully underfunded shelter in the U.S. I
know that you directors always say you have no influence over the budget. But let’s not
forget. The Dept of Health sets the AC&C’s budget. The Commissioner of Health is sitting
right there on the Board with you [indicating Dr. Thomas Farley].

By the way, earlier in the meeting, it was reported that the AC&C has a balanced budget.
Sure it does, because as a direct consequence of these recent budget cuts, the AC&C has
made drastic reductions to staff and services. For example, the dog walking program was
quickly dismantled. (Dr. Kuhlman [a veterinarian on the Board], this should really upset
you.) Most of the animals are kept in cages 24/7. You’ll often find dogs, cats and (now in
this warm weather) litters of kittens sitting for hours in their own filth because there aren’t
enough employees to clean the cages on a regular basis. Medical services, supplies, and
staff have been dramatically reduced. Cruelty Seizure animals – real victims -- are once
again often being overlooked or neglected.

And the AC&C shelters continue to be overcrowded, because for 10 years, the DOH has
failed to create shelters in the Bronx and Queens.

That’s not a record I think any AC&C Director should be proud of. But that’s what you’ve
presented to Julie Bank and what she must turn around.

To do that, she’s got to unshackle the AC&C from the Dept of Health. Look, the DOH
doesn’t want to be in charge of the AC&C. The DOH’s mandate is to ensure the health of
people. It’s not to protect animals. It’s to protect people FROM animals. For every dollar
the DOH allots to animal care, it has to take that same dollar from health services for
people. It’s political suicide for them to choose animals over people.

Just as much as the DOH wants to shed its responsibility for the AC&C, the AC&C needs
help to sever itself from the DOH.

How can it start on the road of independence?

I suggest that a good first step to helping Julie Bank is … and I know this will upset you …
that every one of you resign. Tell Mayor Bloomberg that he should replace you with
Directors who would actively, publicly, and tirelessly dedicate themselves to helping the
homeless animals of NYC. It’s simply not enough for you to meet once or twice a year and
think you’ve fulfilled your duty to the AC&C.

How about appointing philanthropists who regularly donate to animal causes and can
attract like-minded philanthropists or financiers. Savvy public celebrities who are well
known animal advocates. How about a seat on the board for a volunteer representative, or
one for rescuers. How about room at the table for a politician known to advocate for
homeless animals. You catch my drift, right?

If you’re concerned that this change would alienate the DOH, just how much worse do you
think it could get for the AC&C? The DOH has already announced that it will keep reducing
the AC&C’s budget. It’s not willingly going to create those missing shelters any time soon
(if ever). It’s not going to replace the shabby buildings that serve as shelters in Brooklyn
and in Manhattan.

Under the DOH, there is only one guarantee: things will get worse. So, why not take a shot
at making it better, starting with a new Board.   Honorable Members of the Board: please,
stand up and give your seat to a lady … or a man … anyone who can and will bring skill,
connections and a determination to work hard to change the face and culture of the AC&C.

CHANGING THE AC&C’S IMAGE

I don’t envy Julie Bank. She has to change the AC&C’s image. That’s a huge job -- to
transform a quasi-governmental agency (the AC&C is the stepchild of the Health Dept) into
a truly independent, well-respected, and amply-funded charitable organization.   To that
effect, I urge Ms. Bank and the Board to go against received wisdom. For 15 years, the
AC&C has been told it must put on a bright, cheery face to the public.   It’s been told that
the public responds to good news, not bad. Really?

Remember how, for a brief period a few months ago, the AC&C sent out pleas for canned
food and kitty litter, which were too expensive for them to buy? Donations of kitty litter and
canned food poured in. Oddly, the AC&C quickly switched tunes, saying there had never
been a crisis of canned food and kitty litter, it was just a misunderstanding. It was as
though someone from above had been angered or embarrassed by the crisis language.
For 15 years, a cheery image hasn’t resulted in monies pouring into the AC&C.

So, why not allow the AC&C to try a new strategy: being honest with the public. Honest that
it hates being dependent on a city agency, that the City will never give it enough money and
support, that shelter animals are suffering, and that the AC&C is the only hope for the vast
majority of homeless animals because – unlike, say, the ASPCA, the Humane Society,
Bide a Wee, Animal Haven – the AC&C does not and will not turn away any animal.
Finally, honest that the AC&C needs the public – not the City -- to help it help its animals.

And another thing: help the AC&C earn the public’s trust and support. Allow the AC&C to
be able to assure the public that EVERY DOLLAR DONATED will serve to help the
animals. The AC&C’s most costly vendor is its accounting firm (BTQ) that charges
$220,000 a year. For much less, the AC&C could establish a bookkeeping and financial
analyst staff, to examine every invoice and every credit card statement. They could create a
computer program to track petty cash. They could install a software system that when, say,
someone donates $100 on line to support spay/neuter, that $100 is guaranteed to go into a
special spay/neuter reserve which cannot be used for any other purpose.   Once the AC&C
can ensure that all monies, donations, supplies, and even its animals are safeguarded, the
AC&C will have earned the public’s trust. People are willing to give to INDEPENDENT,
well run charitable organizations … but not to dysfunctional quasi-governmental agencies.

Thank you.

Shelter Reform Action Committee (SRAC)
ShelterReform.org: Everything you ever wanted to know about the AC&C, but were afraid to ask.