Dear Helena, let me try to give you a synopsis of what has been happening with BARC since the protest of 10 August.
About 12 of us showed up at that first public protest against BARC's mismanagement. Because we also protested the arraignment of whistleblower Shelby Kibodeaux (accused of filing a false police report denouncing animal cruelty at BARC) we got good coverage in all the media. Kibodeaux was ordered to stand trial, but we welcomed this injustice because it would keep the issue of animal abuse at BARC in the news.
The bigger issue, however, became the $208,000 contract extended to a Gerry Fusco, an "agent of change" who, according to his patrons, Mayor White and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS, incomprehensibly in charge of BARC) would straighten BARC out. This joker from New Joysey (with an accent) appeared from nowhere with no animal shelter experience, a police record of spousal abuse and drinking excesses, a few phoney testimonials as his credentials, and the claim that God commanded him to help animals. This dude should have been lauged out of City Hall just by the way he looks; the fact that he wasn't spelled danger. Still, enough countil members had doubts about his abilities and the high price tag, that it was decided to postpone approval of Fusco's contract for a week, pending further review.
Next day something extraordinary and long-awaited happened. Mayor White, removed BARC out of under DHHS, making it (temporarily at least) an independent agency. This had been hoped for by those who thought, correctly, that part of the problem was the Cinderella role BARC played at DHHS and which had reduced the city animal shelter to a chaotic, filthy, cruel charnel house for dogs and cats run by convicted felons, yes, really.
Suddenly it looked like things were headed in the right direction by removing the bureaucratic burden of DHHS. But never underestimate the capacity of people for screwing up. On the next meeting of the Council to vote for or against granting Fusco the rest of the contract, all but one council member, were in favor of letting him complete the rest of the six-month contract. The only one opposed was Ms. Jo Jones, a grandstanding council woman who quite correctly thinks we are throwing money down the drain paying a man with no shelter experience a sum of money the City will not pay a qualified shelter director nor even a veterinarian. The Mayor doesn't earn that money! And neither does Jo Jones, who promptly asked for a raise in view of Fusco's stupendous fee.
Under victriolic critizism of her colleagues, Jones once again tagged the contract on the grounds that Fusco wasn't answering her questions, etc., etc. If your are interested, more details of all the above can be gleaned from a blog my husband created (unbeknownst to me) based on some of my correspondence on the subject http://proubastareader.blogspot.com/
The next and final vote is on 16 September. Sociopaths can be charming and Fusco has, meanwhile, won over the volunteers at BARC. I met a few of them at City Hall and they are not like you, Karen, Charlie, Ross, or me ... I don't know how to explain the difference, but not one of us would be fooled by this conman.
With the volunteers in his pocket and city councilors fed up of a low-profile issue about dogs and cats, it looks like Fusco will have his contract and the rest of his money (he has already pocketed $75K thanks to scheeming DHHS but claims he is working without pay, HA!) and be BARC's agent of change until January.
But wait, Helen, it gets worse: Rumor has it that he may be hired as permanent BARC chief, and former detractors (whistleblower Kibodeaux included) would approve. Why? Because thanks to Fusco's "god-given talents" (according to Fusco) now BARC keeps records of how many dogs are admitted, how many are killed, and how many are adopted.... Because dogs are now vaccinated, and not a single pup has been flushed down the drains with the dirty water, and such ABCs of shelter management.
Indeed, considering the abysmal conditions at BARC, if you don't kill someone by accident or roughhandling, it's a good day. People running the kennels are felons of violent crimes ... the former chief vet was an African woman, banned from practicing veterinary medicine in two other US states and addicted to pain killers..... You couldn't hire more incompetent if you searched the world over, which apparently we did--to wit, Africa and New Jersey. A few good vets and managers in the past didn't last, overpowered and outnumbered by incompetents and worse.
The improvements Fusco is making amidst hosannas could be made by a pimply teenager. Houston will settle for a mediocre shelter which sometimes manages not to accidentally kill people's lost pets .... adopts out a few hundred more pets out than it did last year .... still commits animal abuse, but less blatantly.... medicates the animals instead of the vet .... unremarkable improvement. As a sop to Cerberus, gullible volunteers will be promised a more active role, but a Fusco selected "volunteer coordinator" will tell them what to do.
There was a primal muck of scandal, media attention, rallying animal welfare groups, a barrage of exchanges between concerned citizens and City Hall, a few right-thinking council members... New life for BARC could have come out of it. At this point, however, I fear that after the Fusco dust settles--sadly not by scattering-- the rejects and the homeless who end up at the Bureau of Animal Regulation and "Care" are still in a world of trouble.
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When I flag in my resolve (such as it is), I think of you and what you have been facing, and accomplishing all alone, in a place even slightly worse than Houston. It's fantastic to know you are getting not only recognition but having a "ripple effect" on others, so your work can continue when you leave.
I will be happy to help in any way I can. Let me ask my publisher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, whether I may "retool" some of the articles I have written for "Tulsa Pets" for the Lagos newsletter. I have no doubt she will be happy to do it since (a) there is no conflict of interests, and (b) she is absolutely crazy about all animals. I will also ask Marilyn whether you can get free access to her online journal so your friend can use it for source materials, article ideas, etc. "Tulsa Pets" is obviously designed with a local flavor and I think this converts easily to the circumstances, statistics, etc. of other places with just a few changes.
For example, I am writing an article on rabies right now. Figures are very different between countries, preventative and response innoculations available, etc., but it is a topic of universal appeal, even in US and Europe where people are as ignorant about rabies as in places where it is a real menace. I could forward that article to you for your publisher friend decide whether she can use it.
Charlie is gone to Florida, I have not seen Ross because I have not been walking dogs (I admit in shame), and Karen is still walking dogs on weekends and consumed with what she deems (and I agree) the end of America under the present administration. We talk about you every time I get fresh news, like now. We admire you so.
Thanks for the pictures; you are almost as beautiful as the puppy. Hugs. -- Dolores
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