Looking a DOH Gift Horse In the Mouth
There’s a lot of news percolating up from NYC’s Department of Health. At the January 23rd Annual Board Meeting of AC&C Directors, the DOH announced some unprecedented gifts coming to the AC&C. (Click here for a video of the meeting.) According to a DOH press release, it’s a new day for NYC’s homeless animals.
Let’s check out that breathless claim.
One piece of news is unquestionably good: the DOH will give the AC&C $2 million (right away) and an additional $2 million on July 1st (the start of the AC&C’s next fiscal year). The AC&C will end up with an annual budget from the DOH of in excess of $14 million … an all time high.
Granted, the AC&C needs a lot more than $14 million annually. So DOH representative Dan Kass (who is also an AC&C Director) explained that $232,000 of the extra funding is earmarked for the AC&C to hire dedicated fundraising staff. It’s a one-shot deal, he warned. Going forward the DOH expects the AC&C to raise enough funds to pay for, well, its own fundraising. The AC&C needs help. Its 2014 fundraising numbers were flat with those of 2013.
But the really big announcement was the DOH’s gift package of capital improvements valued at $8.5 million:
(1) an Adoptions Center for the Manhattan shelter (the first ever in the AC&C’s history);
(2) a new HVAC system for the Brooklyn shelter; and
(3) “doubling” of the AC&C Mobile Adoptions Van “fleet.”
Executive Director Risa Weinstock repeatedly expressed thanks to Mayor de Blasio, the City Council, and the Department of Health for the new funding, explaining that it was prompted by the City’s recognition that the AC&C “deserved” and “earned” it.
NOTE: “Deserving” and “earning” have never had anything to do with DOH support of the AC&C. Throughout the AC&C’s 20-year history, the DOH has always praised the shelter’s performance and extolled the virtues of AC&C management. But that never stopped the DOH from starving the shelter system.
In 2011 the DOH suddenly agreed to put more money into the AC&C. That wasn’t because the DOH was feeling more generous or that the AC&C had “earned” the extra funding. Rather, the extra monies were in exchange for the DOH being relieved of having to build mandated shelters in the Bronx and Queens. It was a sweet deal for the DOH.
This latest beneficence from the DOH also doesn’t derive from the AC&C having “earned” it. As one public commentator reported at the meeting, there’s “been a lot of behind-the-scenes work” by several animal advocacy organizations communicating with a Deputy Mayor, urging that Mayor de Blasio make good on his animal-welfare campaign promises.
So, the DOH had been instructed to do better by the AC&C. At the same time the DOH receives a benefit: reducing demands to build and run shelters in the Bronx and Queens.
This new gift DOH package doesn’t equal the kind of reform that Mayor de Blasio embraced during his campaign: freeing the AC&C from DOH control and making it a truly “independent” organization. (See the “Led Astray” report by then Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer which Candidate Bill de Blasio endorsed.)
That goal is still on the Mayor’s to-do list.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS: A CLOSER EXAMINATION
The DOH’s promise of capital improvements is a gift horse that cries out for a look in the mouth. Let’s start with the DOH’s track record on capital projects promises:
– Delaying 11-years before ultimately abandoning the building of shelters for the Bronx and Queens.
– Delaying 9 years before starting installation of a new HVAC system in the Manhattan shelter.
– Delaying 3-1/2 years before starting construction of the promised new Staten Island shelter. The completion date was recently pushed back from April 2015 to sometime in “early 2016.”
Will the promised capital improvements suffer the same fate?
An Adoptions Center for Manhattan
A year ago AC&C insiders privately bemoaned how an empty 2500 sq. ft garage at the Manhattan shelter was allowed to disintegrate over the years. What a terrible waste of space for a space-strapped shelter. The DOH’s position was that if the AC&C wanted to make use of that space, the AC&C could damn well raise the money itself.
A year later and the DOH has undergone a sea change. Now it will tear down the derelict garage and build an Adoptions Center on the site The audience broke into applause at the news. AC&C execs exclaimed how “excited” they were.
The prospect of a first-ever Adoptions Center for the AC&C is exciting. It can’t come soon enough. As AC&C Chairman Patrick Nolan explained, it will not only be an inviting place for the public to visit, but will offer the added benefit of freeing up space in the existing Shelter building for staff to care for non-adoption animals.
But when that Center will open is another matter. DOH rep/AC&C director Kass explained that design ideas will be solicited throughout the rest of this year. Construction will begin in 2016. However, Kass didn’t mention when the Center is projected to open. An AC&C Director observed that “we have limited space” for the Center and” it’s not going to be the perfect Center, but I think we can make it a leading Center” and invited the public to communicate what they want to see in an Adoptions Center.
New HVAC for the Brooklyn Shelter
The DOH says it will install a new heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system at the Brooklyn shelter. (No construction or completion date given.)
The HVAC will make the Brooklyn shelter cooler in Summer and warmer in Winter. That’s nice. But it’s misleading for the DOH to claim that a new HVAC will also help reduce the spread of disease. The DOH made the same claim when a new HVAC system was installed in Manhattan in 2010. That system hasn’t made a dent in lowering the disease rate.
Neither will this one. The problem is the layout of these old buildings that were never meant to be proper animal shelters. That would require a major capital improvements project which doesn’t interest the DOH.
“Doubling” the AC&C’S Mobile Adoptions “Fleet”
The AC&C currently has one adoptions van (privately donated). A second van (promised by New York State) has not been delivered yet. By “doubling” the fleet the DOH means it will give the AC&C two more vans for a total of 4.
The unspoken challenge will be for the AC&C to fill 4 vans with healthy and fixed (i.e., spayed/neutered) dogs and cats several days a month. AC&C can’t just pull animals directly from its shelters and load ‘em on the vans. That’s because animals left inside the AC&C shelters are certain to get get sick.
The AC&C’s solution has been to try building a network of fosters to keep the animals physically AWAY from the shelter buildings and thereby safe from shelter diseases. Once the animals are fixed, they can be loaded on the vans and taken to off-site adoption events.
Because the AC&C still hasn’t made progress in reducing shelter disease, they’re gonna need a lot more fosters.
AN EXPANDED AC&C BOARD
The DOH also announced that it will allow the AC&C Board to be expanded to add 2 more “independent” directors who won’t have to be “appointed” by the Mayor’s Office. The Board promptly voted to change its by- laws to remove the Mayoral appointment requirement. Hooray!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: For 20 years the DOH and the AC&C have claimed that the AC&C is an “independent” charity that happens to have a contract with the DOH for animal services. They assert that the DOH doesn’t control the AC&C. It has never controlled the AC&C. The AC&C is independent, Say it again, independent.
Nonsense, as the SRAC has proven through its 20-year coverage of the AC&C.
If the AC&C is “independent,” then why for example does it need the DOH’s permission to expand its board? (This is the second time the DOH has given its approval to add more “independent” directors. The first time was in 2011.)
AC&C Chairman Nolan exalted that “adding more board members will help us go to the next level and be a real game changer.” He didn’t explain why this was so.
Simply adding more “independent” directors (with or without Mayoral approval) won’t change the Board’s dynamics if the DOH remains the de facto gatekeeper to the Board. Are we to believe that the DOH will tolerate new board members who would actually challenge the DOH? Never once have AC&C “independent” directors used their majority vote to change the AC&C by laws, remove voting privileges for the 3 government directors (or simply tossed ‘em off the board), demanded that the services contract be the result from actual negotiations rather than being dictated by the DOH, and demand adequate funding and buildings from the DOH?
They never have. Will they now?
Anyone interested in joining the board should send his/her resume to info@nycacc.org.
THE UNSPOKEN BENEFIT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Okay, $8.5 million in promised capital improvements is very nice. It’s also a bargain for the DOH. $8.5 million is a hell of a lot cheaper than building and running shelters in the Bronx and Queens. It also makes the DOH look like the AC&C’s benevolent uncle … always concerned about animal welfare.
THE NEW CONTRACT
The last announcement was that the DOH will renew its contract with the AC&C. (Duh, no surprise.) The DOH wasn’t interested in request proposals from third vendors.
It’ll be interesting to see the new contract. Will it be track all the previous contracts dictated by the DOH?
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Executive Director Risa Weinstock ticked through a list of improvements over the past year.
She also reported that for the first time the AC&C will publish its statistics using the ASILOMAR Accords.
What’s ASILOMAR? It was devised under the auspices of Maddie’s Fund for data collection by every community receiving Maddie’s Fund monies to become “no kill.” From 2005 to 2011 Maddie’s Fund gave the Mayor’s Alliance a total of $28 million to make NYC (really, the AC&C) “no kill.”
Weinstock noted that the AC&C did not begin using ASILOMAR until 2011. (NOTE: It’s a mystery how AC&C ASILOMAR statistics were submitted to Maddie’s Fund long before the AC&C adopted ASILOMAR.)
“No kill” means that no “healthy” or “treatable” animal is killed. As long as a shelter kills only those animals it labels as UNtreatable, it can still claim to “no kill.”
SRAC is not alone in questioning ASILOMAR. (Click here for an easily understandable explanation of ASILOMAR shortcomings.)
Weinstock reported on the AC&C’s ” “Live Release Rate” (LRR) for its dogs and cats.
NOTE: LRR is a metric central to ASILOMAR. The generally accepted definition of No Kill is when you are saving 90% or greater of pets entering shelters in your community or shelter. In light of the Mayor’s Alliance’s repeated assurance that the AC&C is “on track to no kill by 2015,” this is a do-or-die year for the AC&C.
Weinstock reported (see pp. 9-10 of her slide presentation) that while the LRR for dogs is on a dramatic rise, the LRR for cats remains a problem.
NOTE: The AC&C’s cat LRR was plunging last year during kitten season. But in late summer the LRR began to climb, coinciding with the ASPCA’s opening of a 24/7 kitten nursery for AC&C cats and Best Friends Animal Society’s new Foster Program to pull AC&C animals.
Still, as Weinstock conceded, cats remain a “challenge.” They just keep pouring in.
Weinstock asked the head of the AC&C’s Doggy Playgroup Department to describe the new program (financed by Best Friends Animal Society). We were told that the AC&C no longer uses just the SAFER test to determine a dog’s behavior. Now the staff is supposed to track a dog’s progress over time. We were told that the playgroups help improve and maintain a dog’s good behavior.
Weinstock said that cats are also being given enrichment, but didn’t elaborate.
PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION
WHAT ABOUT THE BRONX AND QUEENS?
A representative of the “Bronx Animal Shelter Endeavor” (BASE) asked why Queens and the Bronx are still underserved. They still don’t have shelters. “Bringing an adoptions van to the Bronx isn’t going to help,” she said. Local rescuers are “overburdened trying to save all the street cats and dogs.
Chairman Nolan conceded that certain areas are “underserved.”
TROUBLING STATISTICS
After complimenting the AC&C for its new life-saving programs, private accountant Tom Scopac pointed out some troubling statistics. (Click here for Scopac’s Statement and here for his Statistical Analysis.).
For example, Intake continues to rise and that’s a problem, if the AC&C wants to keep increasing its save rate.
Another problem is that 30% of AC&C dogs end up on the “At Risk” list. Even worse, 23% of ALL dog placements come from the At Risk list, making that list
one of the AC&C’s most successful marketing tools. All these dogs and cats are the one you [the AC&C] have given up on saving. Instead you throw up your hands and hope the public will step in and save them at the eleventh hour. That’s not effective lifesaving.
If it hadn’t been for Scopac’s statistical analysis, no one would know how heavily the AC&C relies on the “At Risk” list as one of its “most successful marketing tools.”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN AN ANIMAL ENDS UP ON THE “AT RISK” LIST?
Will that animal be killed? someone else asked Weinstock.
Weinstock responded: “The At Risk list doesn’t mean they’ll be euthanized. ‘At Risk’ [pause] they are in a category that puts them at risk because of health or behavior.”
Sorta like saying: “At Risk is At Risk is At Risk.”
Someone else asked: Do treatable animals show up on the At Risk list? Yes, they do, said Weinstock. But she said that people shouldn’t wait until an animal is on the At Risk list to save them. Adopt or pull them when while they’re still healthy on the adoptable list.
DISEASE:
After complimenting the AC&C on providing better vaccination to protect dogs from disease, Jay Braun asked asked what the AC&C was doing to help cats.
AC&C Board member Dr. Jay Kuhlman (a private vet and a nice man) volunteered to answer Braun’s question. He explained that cat vaccines take days to become effective and still required booster shots. “The AC&C is short on time.”
“Then isn’t that an argument for cleaner shelters?” asked Braun.
Kuhlman’s answer was essentially that there are way too many cats and the answer is to cut down on the number of cats coming in. That’s a long slow process and requires educating the public.
HOW DOES THE AC&C EUTHANIZE ANIMALS?
Someone asked why the AC&C uses only the one-shot euthanasia method rather than 2 intravenous shot method (the first tranquilizes the animal; the second stops its heart and death comes sooner after).
Weinstock responded: “We follow best practices. There may be vets that disagree. There may be animals that get sedated, I don’t want to get into that. Our medical practices are best practices”
“We are not killers,” she added.
TOO MUCH RELIANCE ON RESCUE GROUPS
Another person asked the AC&C to “wean your dependency on New Hope [rescue] partners.” “They’re exhausted.”
MAYOR DE BLASIO’S ROLE IN HELPING THE AC&C
As previously discussed, Weinstock claimed that the AC&C “deserved” and “earned” this new largesse from the City.
That claim took several of us by surprise. Longtime animal advocate Zelda Penzel challenged Weinstock’s claim. She explained that there have been “behind the scenes” meetings between between several animal advocacy organizations and a Deputy Mayor urging the Mayor to make good on his animal-welfare campaign promises (including to reform the AC&C). [NOTE: Animal advocates played a decisive role in helping Mr. de Blasio become Mayor.]
NO KILL
Penzel also asked whether the AC&C has ever contacted shelters that have achieved “no kill” for their advice. Weinstock assured her that the AC&C doesn’t exist in a vacuum. She’s on the phone once a month sharing information and advice with other shelters. [Click here for Penzel's prepared statement.]
INTAKE PHOTOS
Finally, someone asked why so many animals on the AC&C website have awful photos. Many of those ending up on the At Risk list still have miserable intake photos.
Weinstock responded that the AC&C is using donated professional photography equipment and things are getting better.
And with that the meeting was ended.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, Weinstock repeatedly said the AC&C appreciates “constructive” input from the public. Presumably, send your thoughts to info@nycacc.org.