VET'S OUTRAGED!
Friday, April 6th 2007
Council motion April 3, by Zine and Alarcon: "The Department of animal Services (DAS) is currently experiencing a severe shortage of veterinarians. Currently, 10 out of 12 veterinarian positions, including that of Chief Veterinarian, are vacant. These vacancies have resulted in only two veterinarians absorbing the responsibilities to oversee the City's six shelters which handle approximately 46,000 animals per year. Consequently, the two veterinarians have been forced to work overtime to ensure that the City's animal shelter needs are met. As a result, the veterinarians have become exhausted and less efficient.
The shortage of veterinarians has raised concerns about the Department's ability to provide adequate services in City shelters. It is urgent that the City implement the necessary steps to increase veterinarian hiring and retention. Immediate action is needed to ensure that the quality of animal care does not continue to suffer."
ADL-LA has news from a very good source stating that because of Ed Boks' terrible reputation, and the fact that he has failed miserably in bringing in competent medical staff, certain Veterinary schools and some local compassionate veterinarians are furious! Apparently they are blaming the vet shortage at LAAS on the fact that Ed Boks is such an atrocious manager. One compassionate veterinarian who lives in Northern California and is a professor at a Vet school there stated to ADL-LA, "Boks doesn't appear to posses the skills necessary to oversee a large shelter system. From what we know he's failed to get a passing grade in both Arizona and New York. When you have a shelter director who lacks the ability to put forth important programs, one of which must be a program applying progressive and humane shelter medicine, the entire system breaks down."
Because of this crises a local Vet school near Los Angeles, Western University, has decided independently to step in and try to help find a solution to the LAAS vet crises. The LAAS has sunk to a record low in employee morale, employee respect of senior administration, medical staff incompetence and the terrible neglect and substandard care of the animals under Ed Boks. Western University may be able to help out in regards to the medical staffing crisis at LAAS; but they cannot help out in regards to transforming a man like Ed Boks, who is incapable of leading the six city shelters onto a path of No Kill. That is a job only the Mayor can do by firing Boks and hiring a sincere and bright professional who will head up LAAS and consult with a group such as No Kill Solutions.
ADL-LA Disclaimer: Nothing contained in this publication is intended to encourage or incite illegal acts. Many of the reports contained in our Action Alerts and on our web site at www.StopTheKilling.net have been received anonymously and the Campaign cannot make any guarantees for the accuracy of these reports. Any views or comments stated in reports, Action Alerts or on the web site are not necessarily the views of STK or ADL-LA.
