Councilwoman Backs Bond Measure to Build Animal Shelters

The chairwoman of a key City Council panel on Monday endorsed a proposal to ask Los Angeles voters in November to approve bonds to build new animal shelters following a scathing report on overcrowding at city facilities.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, who heads the Public Safety Committee, directed city administrators to draft the documents necessary for a $139-million ballot measure. The full council must act by July in order to place a bond measure on the November ballot.

Political experts say the city will have to work hard to sell bonds to voters, who have twice in recent years rejected bonds for police and fire facilities.

Miscikowski voiced her support for a bond measure after hearing a report from consultant Cliff Allen, who said three of the six city shelters should be replaced and five additional shelters should be built.

“We are still inhibited from doing the job that is necessary because of the facilities themselves, and the inability of the facilities to accommodate not only those animals impounded, but also provide a welcome and warm facility so we can really accelerate the adoption program,” Miscikowski said.

The consultant recommended a 10-year construction program costing $250 million, but the head of the city Animal Services department recommended a bond measure of $139 million for this year to do the most critical work.

Dan Knapp, the department’s general manager, proposed a bond measure that would double the number of shelters in the San Fernando Valley from two to four and add new shelters in West Los Angeles, North-Central and South-Central. The bond measure also would replace the Harbor-area shelter and renovate existing shelters in the East Valley, West Valley, West Los Angeles and North-Central.

Despite the failure of police bond measures, the city has had success in getting the required two-thirds vote to approve money for libraries and parks, but only when city leaders campaigned hard and emphasized the benefit of the proposals for children.

Political consultant Harvey Englander said the same strategy worked to get zoo bonds approved several years ago.

“It appealed to their heart,” Englander said. “Nobody likes what has happened in the shelters.”

However, political consultant Richard Lichtenstein said the campaign would have to appeal to more than just humane issues.

He said there is a public safety issue also.

“The only thing that could cause something to pass is if you somehow got a group of animal-rights types complimented by those who are fearing for their lives because of all the dogs roaming the streets of our city.”