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Saturday, June 3, 2000
Riordan denies stray roundup linked to DNC
By Jason Kandel and Rick Orlov, Staff Writers
Comments by the head of Los Angeles' Animal Services
Department that the city was stepping up efforts to round up and euthanize more
stray dogs for the Democratic National Convention triggered an angry denial
Friday from Mayor Richard Riordan.
In Friday's editions, the Daily News had quoted
department General Manager Dan Knapp as saying the crackdown was needed because
of overcrowding at shelters. "Point A, and the catalyst for this change, is the
Democratic National Convention. Point B is the City Council ... emphasizing
getting these stray dogs off the streets to make the streets safe," he said.
In a meeting Tuesday night with rescue workers, shelter
volunteers and animal rights activists, Knapp made the same point, linking the
need to euthanize more dogs at least in part to the convention, according to
several people who attended.
But in a letter to Riordan on Friday after a furor
erupted, Knapp apologized "for any confusion or embarrassment" he might have
caused. He said there was "no nexus" between the convention and the roundup and
euthanization of more stray dogs.
Riordan issued a statement acknowledging that shelters
are overcrowded and enforcement was being stepped up but he denied any link to
the convention.
"The idea that we are euthanizing stray kittens and
puppies to clear the streets in preparation for the Democratic National
Convention is not only outrageous, but it's inaccurate, wrong and must be
corrected for the record," the mayor's statement read.
"Simply put, in no way have we ordered the additional
roundups of stray animals. We are making every effort to decrease the
department's euthanasia rate and increasing animal adoptions."
The Daily News did not report that more kittens were
being euthanized and has no information that Knapp made such a
comment.
Riordan noted the city has increased spending on animal
control in the past two years to deal with the overpopulation problem, including
doubling the department's budget to more than $12 million and adding 75 new
positions.
Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, who chairs the
council's Public Safety Committee overseeing the Animal Services Department,
said the increase in the euthanasia rate was expected because of the overcrowded
conditions in animal shelters.
With the new city budget taking effect July 1 and the
convention scheduled for mid-August, there was an understandable confusion in
linking the euthanasia increase with the event, she said.
"We all knew this was going to happen," Miscikowski
said. "It's a coincidence of the two things coming around the same
time."
Miscikowski has proposed a $140 million bond measure
for the November ballot to build five more kennels.
Knapp had warned of the overpopulation problems during
budget hearings this year, saying overcrowding at animal shelters was a danger
both to the animals and workers.
The city has adopted an aggressive spay and neutering
program for pets to try to reduce the number of stray animals that roam city
streets and also has an outreach program to increase the numbers that are
adopted.
Gretchen Wyler of the Ark Trust said she is not happy
to see the increasing euthanasia rates, but considers it part of the problem the
city faces.
"It's the curse of any big city," Wyler said. "We're a
throwaway society and people don't take spay and neutering seriously enough. We
just don't have enough room for all of the animals."
According to people who attended the Tuesday night
meeting with Knapp, he brought up the Democratic convention as a cause of the
crackdown.
"He said that in response to the Democratic National
Convention coming to town in August, that the sweeps were going to start again,"
said Teri Austin, president of the Amanda Foundation, a group that rescues dogs
and cats from city animal shelters.
"I was very surprised to hear this statement from Dan,
because traditionally, he would have come up with more humane solutions to the
problem."
Carol Ellis, an animal welfare activist, attended the
meeting and agreed that Knapp cited the convention as the impetus for the sweep.
"The mayor and the City Council have made it clear that we want to present the
best face for the city for these delegates," Ellis said. "The bottom line, it
was a big coup to get awarded this convention. Let's face it, where the Staples
Center area is there's a larger problem than in other areas."
Michael Bell, another animal welfare activist, was also
at the meeting Tuesday.
"Mr. Knapp said the department was given orders that
they were to do a sweep prior to the Democratic National Convention. He said the
city will be busy and impacted with traffic. Mr. Knapp said that he's got to
follow orders.
"I'm very much opposed to the sweep. I'm very much on
Dan's side. I just think the department has been put in a bad spot."
http://www.dailynews.com/archives/2000/06/03/new03.asp United States to kick illegals out
Downey, California Local, June 1, 2000 A June 15 deadline was set by the United States
government for illegal aliens to leave the country, according to a Downey Eagle
report.
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