Mutiny At the ACC? Giuliani-era Group Re-Emerges Seeking to Sever Ties with the Department of Health

It's no secret to anyone following this blog or New York Tails Magazine that this had been the winter of discontent as voiced by a wide variety of animal advocates and adoption groups when it comes to New York City Animal Care and Control (ACC) up to and including the decision not to renew former ACC director Charle Pedrole's contract in October 2009 after what some characterized as a tumultuous two-year tenure.

However, New York Tails Magazine has learned from a number of credible sources that there may be a full-scale mutiny afoot at Animal Care and Control, with some calling for a complete break between NYC Department of Health and Animal Care and Control. Currently, the Department of Health is the oversight agency for ACC.

On January 28th, select members of the animal adoption community were invited by 'executive members' of a group calling itself "The Shelter Reform Action Committee" (SRAC) to a meeting attended by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals President Jane Hoffman, interim ACC executive director Risa Weinstock, ACC administrative director Richard Gentles, and NYCACC medical director Stephanie Janezcko. The meeting was also attended, interestingly, by NYS Assembly Rep. Micah Kellner. (There had been anticipation that the new ACC director would be named at the meeting but this did not happen.)

"It's Not that The Department of Health is Evil, But..."

In the opening statement delivered at the Jan. 28th meeting, SRAC co-chairs Jennifer Panton and Ester Koslow said it was time for Animal Care and Control to sever ties with the New York City Department of Health, the oversight agency of ACC. Ms. Panton was the former head of ACC's 'New Hope" program and is currently head of United Action for Animals. Ms. Koslow, like several others now involved with the SRAC board, is a former volunteer at AC&C.

While being careful to say that SRAC was not asking Ms. Hoffman or Ms. Weinstock to express an opinion on the ideas presented at the meeting, they did not mince words when it came to pointing the finger at what they sees as NYC DoH's failures insofar as the animals of the city.

"It's not that the Department of Health is some evil government agency," Ms. Panton said. "It's just that it is the wrong agency for the AC&C." The primary goal of the NYC DoH is to protect the health of the people of the city, she said, and not animals. "To the Department of Health, when it's a toss up between people and animals, people will always win. And therein lies the basic conflict of interest preventing the Department of Health from serving the interests of companion animals."

It's worth noting that SRAC is not a new idea and has a long and rather complex history starting with a parting of the ways between the ASPCA and the Mayor Rudolf Giuliani's administration. Neither is the charge of the NYC DoH falling short when it comes to doing more to get animals from the shelters adopted a new one, as an ongoing lawsuit from the private shelter Stray from the Heart against the DoH attests.

But perhaps what is most telling is the timing of the January 28th meeting and those in attendance from 'both side of the aisle', to borrow a phrase from politics. And politics (and the division of resources) certainly would appear to have a role to play in the ACC's potential secession from the DoH.

More detailed information, including background information, can be found on the SRAC website, which promises to post a transcript of the January 28th meeting shortly.

As always, there are two sides to every story, and both this blog and New York Tails Magazine promise to do our best to deliver them in a fair and balanced manner. We've asked the Department of Health for a comment on these latest developments and will keep you updated if there is a response.