Q&A
Concerns raised about insufficient staffing and budget for animal welfare
1:41:18
·
60 sec
Council Member Holden expresses frustration over the lack of transparency and apparent understaffing in city offices responsible for animal welfare. He criticizes the health department and the mayor's office for their inadequate resources dedicated to animal-related issues.
- Holden points out that the deputy commissioner couldn't provide the number of staff working on animal welfare in their office
- He mentions that the mayor's office has only one person dedicated to animal welfare
- The council member argues that there has been a disinvestment in animal welfare over decades in the city
Robert F. Holden
1:41:18
It's in my 7 years, I've really you know, you go to the health department.
1:41:22
The fact that you can't, you know, is deputy commissioner, the fact that you can't tell me or tell us how many people are working in your office for animal welfare.
1:41:34
You can't come up with that number.
1:41:35
You should know that you're coming to a hearing about this.
1:41:39
So I'm frustrated.
1:41:41
We're not we're not doing enough.
1:41:43
And given the pandemic, coming out of the pandemic, ACC was overwhelmed because nobody.
1:41:50
A lot of people, very few adoptions, we couldn't even contact one another, and they were left holding the back.
1:41:58
And where it was the health department?
1:42:03
I I'm just I'm appalled at how the city the city brags that we're doing a lot.
1:42:07
We've done more, Fernando.
1:42:08
Yeah.
1:42:09
But that animal welfare.
1:42:10
That might be true from the past administrations, but we're woefully.
1:42:13
That and that's a disinvestment over decades in the city for animals.