Wednesday, May 13, 1998. Mayor Giuliani holds a press conference to promote "Pet Adoptions Month" -- while the City continues to evict pets from City Housing. Is the Mayor's hypocrisy merely damage control for the CACC's tarnished image? [bracketed text inserted by SRAC for clarity]
And SRAC responds to CACC's adoption statistic claims with its own press release.
[seal]
THE CITY OF NEW YORK
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 13,1998
RELEASE # 214-98
WWW.CI.NYC.CY.US
Contact: Colleen Roche/Brenda Perez (212) 78-2958
MAYOR GIULIANI CELEBRATES PET ADOPTION MONTH
BY CALLING ON NEW YORKERS TO ADOPT A PET
Needy Puppies, Kittens, And Adult Dogs Gather
At City Hall In Search Of A Loving Home
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today called on all New Yorkers to consider adopting pets from the City"s Center for Animal Care and Control (CACC) shelters during May, National Pet Adoption Month. Every day CACC has approximately 200 animals -- primarily puppies, kittens, dogs and cats -- available for adoption in shelters throughout the five boroughs. Many of these adoptable animals are purebred and trained, with the largest selections in the Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island shelters.
An information pet adoption hotline (212-722-3620) is available 24 hours, seven days a week for people seeking information on how to adopt a pet from the CACC.
The Mayor was joined by CACC Acting Executive Director Marilyn Blohm, CACC Director of Adoptions and Volunteer Services Jody Jones, and needy puppies, kittens and adult dogs.
"The unconditional love, loyalty and devotion that animals bring to our lives constitute a precious reward awaiting those willing to accept the responsibility of adopting a pet," Mayor Giuliani said. "Thanks to the efforts of the City's Center for Animal Care and Control, thousands of orphaned animals have been put in contact with caring New Yorkers willing to take them into their homes and into their hearts.
"Adopting a pet is a great joy, but also a great responsibility. Making sure that our pets are properly trained, spayed/neutered, vaccinated and checked by a vet every year to prevent disease, is the best way to reciprocate our pets' constant affection, the Mayor concluded.
In 1995, the number of adoptions directly from CACC shelters was 4,703. That number increased to 6,904 in 1996 and to 7, 357 in 1997. From 1995 through 1997, CACC completed an additional 31,793 adoptions through local rescue organizations.
As part of the Mayor's FY 1998 budget, an additional $500,000 was allocated for services at CACC [reinstating the $220,00 cut the Mayor made from last year's budget] that included:
Individuals who want to adopt from CACC must comply with a reference check and landlord verification. Adoption hours are 10 AM through 6 PM, seven days a week, except for the Brooklyn shelter which is closed on Mondays. Adopters must be over 18 years old and must pay a fee -- $55 for cats/$60 for dogs -- that covers spay/neuter procedures, vaccinations, worming, feline leukemia test, microchip ID implanting, and a veterinary check.
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SHELTER REFORM ACTION COMMITTEE
P.O. Box 268 · NY, NY 10028 · (212) 886-3700
· srac@infohouse.com
A coalition of animal advocate organizations and concerned citizens
FOUNDING MEMBERS:
United Action for Animals, Inc., Julie Van Ness, president
Animal Adoption League Inc., Carol Caver, president
New Yorkers for Companion Animals, Inc., Patty Adjamine, director
The Caring Corps, Inc., Livi French, executive director
In Defense of Animals, Inc., Barbara Stagno, northeast director
Marie Mar · Gary Kaskel · Karen Harris
visit our website: http://users.infohouse.com/srac
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: GARY KASKEL (212) 876-0090
CITY HALL PROPAGANDA MACHINE ROLLS
AT EXPENSE OF SHELTER ANIMALS
May 13, 1998 -- Mayor Giuliani's Press Conference today at 10:30 is expected to be a public relations counter-attack on behalf of the beleaguered City-formed Center for Animal Care and Control (CACC). The animal shelter has been under heavy criticism from animal advocates who say that the unlawful City Hall stranglehold over CACC -- an "independent" not-for-profit corporation -- and severe underfunding (little more than half the national average per capita) has only allowed for a collect-and-kill policy. Last year more than 45,000 shelter animals were killed at CACC.
The "increased adoption" statistics expected to be presented today by CACC executive director Marilyn Haggarty-Blohm, the City manager with no prior experience in animal shelter management forced on the CACC by City Hall last Spring, are unverifiable due to the antiquated record-keeping system CACC still uses. A computerized system has been promised for three years in a row. The CACC is being sued by Shelter Reform Action Committee (SRAC) for its refusal to allow access to SRAC members to such records under FOIL.
The Giuliani Administration seems more interested in shoring up leaks and keeping bad news out of the media than solving the animal over-population problem. Volunteers were fired when they went public with a myriad of CACC management nightmares more than a year ago, and have yet to be rehired.
-more-
Unwanted media attention has plagued inept CACC managers since its inception.
SRAC's advertising campaign has directly criticized the Giuliani Administration.
The CACC Board of Directors is dysfunctional. But is it unlawful? How can City Hall have hiring and firing power over an "independent" charitable corporation's board? The State Attorney General is investigating this issue, and SRAC has pledged to take the issue to court.
PROFILE OF CACC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
or
will shelter animals will ever come out alive with this group in charge?
John J. Doherty, Sanitation Commissioner; chairman for the third year in a row. Career bureaucrat; rose in ranks from garbage collector to commissioner. Has no known prior interest in animal welfare. Has no apparent compunction about lying to animal advocates or committing perjury before the City Council. Obstructed the hiring of a qualified executive director [Ed Sayers] in favor of an inexperienced "city manager" [Marilyn Haggarty-Blohm] to further the Mayor's micro-management grip on CACC. Seems more interested in containing bad press than advancing animal welfare. Refuses to meet with animal advocates.
Neal L. Cohen, MD, Health Commissioner since February. Also Commissioner of Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services since 1996. Clinical psychiatrist at Mount Sinai, Gouverneur, NYU-Tisch and Bellvue hospitals. Lifetime involvement in a profession with strong links to pharmaceutical industry and animal research; has no known prior interest in animal welfare. and refuses to meet with animal advocates. Unknown entity at this time, but does not appear sympathetic to shelter animals.
Yolanda Jiminez, Deputy Police Commissioner for Community Affairs. Has no known prior interest in animal welfare. Has refused to meet with animal advocates.
Lia Albo, employed by the Fund for Animals. Currently runs the Have-A-Heart low-cost spay neuter clinic in Manhattan, an important community-based service. The clinic does business with the CACC, a conflict of interest. Another conflict arose when she interfered with a CACC volunteer who approached a fundraising source for Fund for Animals. Has professed a philosophy that euthanasia is the solution to animal over-population. Has stated that she "would rather see a cat dead than declawed." Also boasted of taking stray dogs off the street directly to private vet for euthanasia -- a violation of the law. Non-confrontational board member who permits CACC status quo. Seen by most as uncooperative and refuses to meet with animal advocates.
Todd Davis, a former Assistant District Attorney who prosecuted animal cruelty cases, now employed at Arthur Andersen & Co. Member of NYC Bar Association's Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals. Author of "Animal Fighting and Cruelty Cases in NY, a guide for judges, prosecutors and defense counsel." Has a demonstrated interest in animal welfare. Has too often been an apologist for CACC rather than a proactive advocate.
Daniel D. Ricciardi, MD, a private practice clinician and hospital administrator. Lifetime involvement in a profession with strong links to pharmaceutical industry and animal research; has no prior known interest in animal welfare. Head of Italian-American political group. Appears strongly allied to John Doherty. Seems more interested in containing bad press than advancing animal welfare. Is publicly arrogant and refuses to meet with animal advocates.
Arlene Pedone, has no known prior interest in animal welfare. Apparently appointed by Mayor because of fundraising contacts. Sits on several other non-profit boards. Appears to have limited time for animal advocates.