New York Daily News, June 17, 1997
Animal-care board dogfight
by Bob Liff
Two members of the board that oversees the city's animal shelter were dumped after complaining yesterday that Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro had a "stranglehold" on the group.
Louise Murray, a veterinarian, and Rosemary Joyce were kicked off the board of the Center for Animal Care and Control after telling the City Council that Mastro blocked the board's efforts to hire the director of Denver's animal shelter.
The center, which Council investigators charge is wallowing in mismanagement and paranoia, has been without an executive director since February.
"The CACC is trapped in a cycle of failure, which can only be broken if we are released from the stranglehold of City Hall," said Murray, who was joined by Joyce.
Murray said the center, which was founded as a private agency to take over for the ASPCA three years ago, is in such disarray that it has been unable to raise money for its adoption program and to spay or neuter dogs leaving the center.
A Council report found that the center has been killing more than 70~o of the animals it handles, with 40,000 killed in 1996.
After Murray's comments, Mastro immediately ousted the two. Murray and Joyce, who were appointed to the board by Mayor Giuliani, were replaced by Arlene Pedone of Queens and Daniel Riccardi of Brooklyn.
In letters handed out at City Hall yesterday, Mastro said Murray and Joyce objected to efforts to assign a city manager as temporary director of the shelter. Board members interviewed three candidates for director last week.
Animal rights activists were dismayed at the firings. "Oh my God, City Hall is squashing us," said Christine MacMurray of the Ad Hoc Committee for Spay Neuter Legislation. "They're eradicating people who criticize them."
Councilwoman Kathryn Freed (D-Manhattan) said the ousters show the center is not as independent as City Hall says.
"I'm disappointed they are living down to our every expectation," she said. "It just proves the accusation that there is a whole atmosphere of threats and intimidation."
Animal-care board dogfight
by Bob Liff
Two members of the board that oversees the city's animal shelter were dumped after complaining yesterday that Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro had a "stranglehold" on the group.
Louise Murray, a veterinarian, and Rosemary Joyce were kicked off the board of the Center for Animal Care and Control after telling the City Council that Mastro blocked the board's efforts to hire the director of Denver's animal shelter.
The center, which Council investigators charge is wallowing in mismanagement and paranoia, has been without an executive director since February.
"The CACC is trapped in a cycle of failure, which can only be broken if we are released from the stranglehold of City Hall," said Murray, who was joined by Joyce.
Murray said the center, which was founded as a private agency to take over for the ASPCA three years ago, is in such disarray that it has been unable to raise money for its adoption program and to spay or neuter dogs leaving the center.
A Council report found that the center has been killing more than 70~o of the animals it handles, with 40,000 killed in 1996.
After Murray's comments, Mastro immediately ousted the two. Murray and Joyce, who were appointed to the board by Mayor Giuliani, were replaced by Arlene Pedone of Queens and Daniel Riccardi of Brooklyn.
In letters handed out at City Hall yesterday, Mastro said Murray and Joyce objected to efforts to assign a city manager as temporary director of the shelter. Board members interviewed three candidates for director last week.
Animal rights activists were dismayed at the firings. "Oh my God, City Hall is squashing us," said Christine MacMurray of the Ad Hoc Committee for Spay Neuter Legislation. "They're eradicating people who criticize them."
Councilwoman Kathryn Freed (D-Manhattan) said the ousters show the center is not as independent as City Hall says.
"I'm disappointed they are living down to our every expectation," she said. "It just proves the accusation that there is a whole atmosphere of threats and intimidation."