Mayor's Press Release

MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA APPOINTS NEW GM OF ANIMAL SERVICES               

Ms. Brenda F. Barnette will bring to the City one of the nation’s strongest portfolios in the area of humane animal shelter management, effective pet adoption and public education programs, and successful community involvement efforts

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Villaraigosa today appointed Ms. Brenda F. Barnette as General Manager of the Los Angeles City Department of Animal Services.  Ms. Barnette will bring to the City one of the nation’s strongest portfolios in the area of humane animal shelter management, effective pet adoption and public education programs, and successful community involvement efforts.

"Throughout her career, Ms. Barnette has emphasized educating the public on animal issues, using effective communication as a vehicle for promoting adoption and animal welfare issues, and involving the community in seeking solutions and increasing the financial resources available for use in saving animals," Mayor Villaraigosa said.  "After an extensive, nation-wide search, I am confident that Ms. Barnette will do an outstanding job in service of the people and animals of the City of Los Angeles as General Manager of Animal Services."

“I am really looking forward to getting to know the community and working with them to make this a safe city for animals and the people who love them,” Brenda Barnette said. “I am going to start right away meeting with the stake-holders --  people who have pets, our staff, our volunteers, Councilmembers, people in special interest groups -- so that we can find a common ground to help animals.”

Ms. Barnette will be responsible for overseeing all operations of the Department of Animal Services including the budget, management of the staff, and administration of the animal shelters. She will also be making policy recommendations on the City’s animal shelters, spay and neuter education programs, and other animal-related issues.

Kathy Davis’ term as the interim General Manager expires on June 30, 2010.

Biography:

Brenda Barnette will be bringing over nineteen years of experience in developing financial and human resources to meet and exceed the needs of animal programs and services.

Ms. Barnette is a nationally recognized as a leader in progressive animal shelter management.  She comes to the City of Los Angeles having served for the last four years as Chief Executive Officer for the Humane Society for Seattle/King County in the state of Washington. Under her leadership, the Seattle Humane Society has achieved notable “life-save” levels, with more than 90% of all animals impounded being adopted out to good homes or released to rescue organizations. 

Prior to her work in Seattle, Ms. Barnette was CEO of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, California from 2003 until 2006.  There she oversaw the professionalization of the organization and the creation of its animal shelter.  Before that, she was Executive Director of Pets In Need in Redwood City, a leading Northern California animal welfare and adoption organization, from 1998 to 2003. 

She got her start in the field as Client Services Manager and then Development Director of the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) which, in partnership with San Francisco Animal Care and Control, handles animal welfare and adoption programs for the City and County of San Francisco.  There she nearly doubled the organization’s fundraising base, providing the fiscal foundation for the development of the nation’s first bonafide “no kill” animal shelter philosophy and operation.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Virginia Tech University.