LA Mayor Karen Bass has failed, lied and criminally abandoned animals, allowing staffers to mislead non-inquisitive local news media. Today, this column starts giving her victims visibility and voice.
Recently, I started receiving emails from legions of people who either volunteer in, or whose rescue groups bail homeless animals from, LA Animal Services (LAAS), which is LA Mayor Karen Bass’s animal pound system.
LAAS, as I have proven, is corrupt, wasteful and unnecessarily torturous and deadly.
Thanks for reading DanielGuss.Substack.com. Subscribe for free and share with friends.
These emails increasingly start with phrases like:
Young Small dog on kill list
8 lb Poodle on the kill list. Really???
8-10 of these DIE EACH DAY
LAAS isn’t sending these alerts to everyone within its reach, including myself and my enormous contact list, who have collectively rescued thousands, perhaps tens of thousands,of them over the years.
So a few days ago, I once again asked City Hall why they aren’t even making basic efforts and improvements that come with virtually zero cost.
I didn’t just ask Annette Ramirez, an animal control officer at LAAS who for too long has served as its interim general manager, but also other overpaid flunkies in Bass’s office who oversee it.
Not even a response.
So, starting today, and until I see changes in attitude, effort and outcomes, we will not only share some of Bass’s voiceless victims, but also the questions posed to those who draw a salary from the taxpayers, but who refuse to respond while Karen Kills Cuties.
On June 4th, I sent the following media inquiry to Ramirez; Dave Michaelson (Bass’s top legal advisor); Jackie Hamilton (Bass’s comprehensively failing deputy mayor overseeing LAAS); Solomon Rivera (Bass’s deputy chief of staff); Carolyn Webb de Macias (Bass’s chief of staff); Steve Houchin (deputy city attorney assigned to LAAS); Karen Bass and her five LAAS commissioners, only some of whom are even qualified to serve in that role: Alison McBeth-Featherstone, Jim Jensvold, Olivia Garcia, Alex Kasendorf and Yvette Smith:
Good afternoon,
1. I am receiving dozens of notifications regarding tiny and senior dogs at LAAS being killed with alarming frequency which, given the use of abusive tactics like water hoses and employees who are allegedly immune from firing, seems highly preventable. Why is the Bass administration penalizing these animals after well-documented cases of abuse that were confirmed recently by (former LAAS GM) Staycee Dains?
2. Since I used to be a New Hope partner, and have not received any of these notifications myself, I am trying to find out why LAAS isn't reaching out as far and as wide as possible.
Because there has been no response, I am going to share the names and basic details of a few of those who have been killed, are about to be killed and pose questions like:
If Karen Bass kills these young, small cuties, and isn’t even making an effort to let the broader public know about them, and doesn’t bother to respond to concerns about easy ways to improve things, what are the odds of “less appealing” dogs and cats who may be larger; who may be older, shy or depressed at being abandoned; perhaps that bonded-pair who were abandoned together; or those missing a leg, an eye or who just need antibiotics and a little love?
Do not expect the apologist, revisionist Los Angeles Times to report honestly and transparently on this, or much of anything else. The next time it appeals for you to subscribe, even for a dollar for a digital subscription, keep in-mind that it is agenda-driven, and serves its government masters with the belief that its owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, “underwrites” its content.
Let’s get the ball rolling today, including some of whom have been treated so harshly at LAAS that they may be “rescue group” only:
Please save some of them, especially the ones whose odds are the poorest, and share their faces (and this column and all of its follow-ups) with everyone you know.
And remember, for each one shown here, there are literally hundreds more at LAAS, who don’t even have photos posted on the LAAS website despite City Hall pilfering more than $90,000 in donated funds for… photography!
Lola, who is scheduled to be killed today.
Impound #A2184425 at the Harbor pound
3 yrs old- Spayed Female- 8 lbs
Millie
Impound #A2199012 at the East Valley pound
1-year-7-month-old 12.0lbs -Female
(Hey, great photo of her sitting in dirt with a rope around her neck!)
Sophie
Impound #A2202816 at the West LA pound.
I am about 9 years old, 20lbs a female border terrier mixed breed dog.
Lastly, please remember that there are other deadly pounds in Southern California run by local cities, counties, SPCAs et al. If you go to any of them, be sure to also seek the opinions of the volunteers who are there with no ulterior motive other than to save lives.
They usually know the animals better than anyone.
And remember: these uncomfortable and painful realities exist because, with very few exceptions, our politicians and the manipulative news media dishonestly tweak the narrative of these unseen, voiceless victims to sustain themselves without rocking the boat.
My suggestions: Vote better. And question the truthfulness of the news media…on everything.
Let me know how it goes.
(Daniel Guss, MBA, won the LA Press Club’s “Online Journalist of the Year” and “Best Activism Journalism” awards in June ‘23. In June ‘24, he won its “Best Commentary, Non-Political” award. He has contributed to the Daily Mail, CityWatchLA, KFI AM-640, iHeartMedia, 790-KABC, Cumulus Media, KCRW 89.9 FM, KRLA 870 AM, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, Movieline Magazine, Emmy Magazine, Los Angeles Business Journal, Pasadena Star-News, Los Angeles Downtown News and the Los Angeles Times in its sports, opinion, entertainment and Sunday Magazine sections among other publishers.)
Thanks for reading DanielGuss.Substack.com. Subscribe for free and share with friends.
