Recently I have been posting less than in the past, mostly because I have less time. Because of that, the readership of this blog has fallen from about 220+ a day to a little over half that.
Another reason I do not post is that I am sick of attacking Boks. It has done no good. It appears the Mayor does not care, and Tony will be reelected for four more years in May. I see no change here, that is why I did not post tomorrow's Zine Personnel Committee meeting about complaints against Boks at 3:00 pm downtown. I figured everyone who will attend has already been emailed at least twice. I also see it as a waste of time.
Zine 1 was in October, three months ago. What has happened despite overwhelming criticism of Animal Services management? Nothing.
I do not see the normal channels of official complaint, emails to City officials, picketing, leafleting, etc., to have ANY effect. Unless the media prints more negative stuff about LAAS, there will be no regime change, and if Boks were to leave, Villaraigosa is so angry with the LA animal community that he is likely to choose someone far more inept and unskilled than Boks.
Several have emailed me about the fencing/grating over the dog kennels at two shelters. This is so stupid, but I find token opposition, such as I can provide and the few people that contacted me to be entirely counterproductive.
Nobody listens to you if you complain about everything. Only when something stands out, like the dog dying at the County shelter with a photo, or the Mason case where I spent a lot of time following--only then can something happen.
I need to choose my battles.
The only vets who work with the city are not the best vets.They are generally new vets with little experience or they are bad vets who need the money. There may be a few good ones in there but they are few.
ReplyDeleteI met an outside vet for the city. She is the only one in her hospital willing to go treat shelter animals. The other two refuse to go because they are paid poorly and the ACTs never follow their medical treatment advice. If they tell them to give eye drops or pills to an animal, they flat out refuse. They refuse because they have too much work because they are caring for more animals than ever. There is barely enough time to log in, feed, clean the animals.
So outside vets come to the shelters to treat? What about the 6 vets that work for the City--are they providing the bulk of the care and the outsiders backup?
ReplyDeleteDo they have employment contracts with the City or some other way of getting paid.
Can you document which ACT refuses to treat the animals because they do not have time to give the animals meds?
I think I may begin a whole new website just on vet care in Los Angeles, the good vets, the bad vets and all between as well as indications of their pricing.
I know readers will be quick to point fingers at vets they have had ad experiences with, and not point to good vets they don't want to get too busy with too many clients.
But I am constantly talking to people about who they use as their vets, rates, etc.
Now I am beginning to ask rescue groups about their experiences.
LAAS has pointedly refused to review vets who contract with the City. I know they keep numbers but I don't know whether they take complaints for the S/Ns done at a City shelter or the contract vets they refer animals to.
I guess a request for public documents can give me that info.
I think you're missing the point of the "Infrequent Posts" thread.... you're just going after the last little paragraph but there's a "bigger picture" problem here.
ReplyDeleteAnd what is that?
ReplyDeletePlease expand as clearly and with as much detail as possible so that we are all on the same page.