| If Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa fails to honor his | | | | incidents of union violence against people and property |
| promise to fire Mr. Stuckey and to hire a | | | | in this country between 1991 and 2001, including those |
| compassionate and experienced General Manager | | | | related to bombings, shootings and near fatal injuries. |
| who can implement a no-kill plan and reform the | | | | Republicans did not become pro-choice after doctors |
| department, he may find that the animal community is | | | | who performed abortion operations were killed. |
| politically-speaking, more bite than bark | | | | According to the National Abortion Federation, there |
| The earth is starting to tremble in the Los Angeles | | | | have been 13,256 "incidents" against abortion clinics or |
| animal community because Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa | | | | doctors since 1977, including seven murders, 17 |
| has refused to honor his January 2005 campaign | | | | attempted murders, three kidnappings, and 41 |
| promise to fire the General Manager of Los Angeles | | | | bombings. The pro-life movement remains firm in its |
| Animal Services Guerdon Stuckey, and this broken | | | | beliefs. |
| promise has drawn attention to a potential scandal | | | | Despite media hype that makes it seem scary, the |
| involving a loss of $1.1 million to the city over the next | | | | ALF's credo prohibits injury to humans and animals. |
| three years. Even fiscally responsible Angelenos who | | | | The ALF recently took credit for sending cabs, pizzas |
| don't care about cats and dogs can be officially | | | | and prostitutes to the home of an unsuspecting animal |
| outraged. | | | | services veterinarian. Although one may disapprove of |
| Animal advocates might have let the mayor out of the | | | | these tactics, they resemble high school pranks more |
| doghouse on his pledge if Stuckey had reformed the | | | | than crimes. |
| department, fostered relationships with the community | | | | Villaraigosa's new "ALF policy" is good news for those |
| and saved animal lives. But according to an October | | | | city employees who fear job termination. Anyone |
| 27, 2005 L.A. CityBeat article, a poorly negotiated | | | | whose porch falls victim to a puff of smoke cannot be |
| contract by Stuckey for a spay-neuter van "may have | | | | fired. At-risk employees who fail to command the |
| robbed the city of half its needed spay-neuter | | | | attention of the ALF might be tempted to place a |
| services" and will endanger animal lives. | | | | suspicious package on their own doorstep. |
| Due to a shortage of van operating hours combined | | | | The City Council has become so concerned about the |
| with the high spay-neuter quota, anesthetized animals | | | | ALF and the L.A. protest group called the Animal |
| will have to be whipped on and off the operating table | | | | Defense League that it has approved a plan which |
| at great risk to their health. The District Attorney has | | | | provides taxpayer dollars for surveillance equipment at |
| been asked to investigate. | | | | the private homes of animal services employees. With |
| Many animal community moderates--such as the | | | | high tech cameras, these workers can weed out |
| dignified and caring former L.A. Animal Commissioner | | | | door-to-door salesmen and pesky in-laws-again on the |
| Erika Brunson--who were originally unwilling to jump on | | | | taxpayer's dime--under the pretense that the big bad |
| the clamorous "we want Stuckey fired" bandwagon, | | | | wolf, also known as the animal activist, might show up |
| are now steering their own wagons through the | | | | with a feral cat flyer, order them a fake cab or protest |
| streets picking up angry passers-by, such as the | | | | on the sidewalk with a sign. Although city workers |
| fiscally responsible crowd. | | | | have a right to feel safe, this measure amounts to |
| The "Reasons to fire Stuckey Email Series" has been | | | | another questionable use of limited resources for a city |
| circulating for months. Reason number 61 warns the | | | | that had 31,000 violent crimes last year. |
| Democratic mayor--who may hope to land in the | | | | The mayor continues to react to the "ALF threat." He |
| Governor's office someday-that animal advocates will | | | | recently removed Erika Brunson from the Los Angeles |
| begin cc'ing the California Republican Party with their | | | | Animal Commission and replaced her with surveillance |
| complaints. Villaraigosa could be one misstep away | | | | expert Glenn S. Brown. The Commission, which is |
| from tarnishing his dapper suit with controversies much | | | | endorsed by the humane community, provides a |
| like those that haunted the Hahn administration. | | | | compassionate and intelligent voice for the powerless |
| The mayor says he has decided not to fire Stuckey | | | | victims of our public shelters: the animals The current |
| at this time because the Animal Liberation Front | | | | commissioners-except for Mr. Brown--may not be |
| (ALF)-a "direct action" animal rights group that has not | | | | experts on installing cameras to detect fake pizza |
| injured a human or animal since its inception in | | | | deliveries, but they are experts on how to combat the |
| 1972-recently planted a smoke bomb at Stuckey's | | | | violence perpetrated against the dogs, cats and other |
| apartment building, making him look like a victim. He | | | | animals that we have a responsibility to protect. |
| says he will not fire an employee who is being | | | | If Mayor Villaraigosa fails to honor his promise to fire |
| threatened or vandalized. | | | | Mr. Stuckey and to hire a compassionate and |
| It is understandable that the mayor would want to | | | | experienced General Manager who can implement a |
| protect city workers. But in an attempt to be tough on | | | | no-kill plan and reform the department, he may find |
| crime, Villaraigosa is being weak on his convictions. If | | | | that the animal community is politically-speaking, more |
| he truly believes Stuckey should be fired, why is he | | | | bite than bark. A decision to retain Stuckey is likely to |
| allowing himself to be controlled by the Los Angeles | | | | become a permanent smudge on Villaraigosa's finely |
| ALF? | | | | tailored lapel. |
| If Villaraigosa intends to be a strong leader, he must do | | | | The animal community expects the mayor to do the |
| what he feels to be right, despite the acts of a few on | | | | right thing. But in case he doesn't, they have forwarded |
| the "fringe." Democratic leaders did not turn away | | | | this article to the Republican Party. |
| from unions, in spite of the fact that there were 2193 | | | | |