from the website of Time-Warner Cable's NY 1 News, June 6, 2002
Report Shows Abuse, Neglect At City's Animal Shelters
Many dogs and cats go into city shelters, but may never come out, according to a new report from the City Comptroller's office that blasts the Center for Animal Care and Control.
The comptroller's office said the investigation shows widespread evidence of abuse and neglect, and found that dogs and cats are accidentally and needlessly euthanized.
The report said animals are often left in dirty cages without water and that CACC veterinarians provide poor care.
Animal advocates said the CACC needs to attack the root of the problem with more aggressive adoption efforts, using volunteers and bringing in new leadership.
"How would you like to be locked up day after day," said one animal advocate. "Animals are suffering. To deny that is a total mischaracterization of this operation."
Comptroller Bill Thompson said he couldn't determine the full extent of the problems because the CACC wouldn't cooperate in the investigation.
The CACC rejected the comptroller's findings, saying that "By interviewing only terminated employees and political activists, the comptroller's office has failed to meet its chart-mandated requirements under federal auditing standards to produce an objective assessment."
"From day one," the statement continued, "the comptroller's accountants were not willing to understand or comprehend the essential public safety and health services CACC provides for the City of New York."
The Department of Health also rejected the findings.
The CACC gets $8 million a year from the city to run the shelters in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Report Shows Abuse, Neglect At City's Animal Shelters
Many dogs and cats go into city shelters, but may never come out, according to a new report from the City Comptroller's office that blasts the Center for Animal Care and Control.
The comptroller's office said the investigation shows widespread evidence of abuse and neglect, and found that dogs and cats are accidentally and needlessly euthanized.
The report said animals are often left in dirty cages without water and that CACC veterinarians provide poor care.
Animal advocates said the CACC needs to attack the root of the problem with more aggressive adoption efforts, using volunteers and bringing in new leadership.
"How would you like to be locked up day after day," said one animal advocate. "Animals are suffering. To deny that is a total mischaracterization of this operation."
Comptroller Bill Thompson said he couldn't determine the full extent of the problems because the CACC wouldn't cooperate in the investigation.
The CACC rejected the comptroller's findings, saying that "By interviewing only terminated employees and political activists, the comptroller's office has failed to meet its chart-mandated requirements under federal auditing standards to produce an objective assessment."
"From day one," the statement continued, "the comptroller's accountants were not willing to understand or comprehend the essential public safety and health services CACC provides for the City of New York."
The Department of Health also rejected the findings.
The CACC gets $8 million a year from the city to run the shelters in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island.