9:06am | Despite the constellation of the achievements of the animal-advocacy community, it was still the dog—and the cat, and every other animal helped by the shelter, including two marmosets rescued by ACS’s operations chief Michelle Quigley from an illegal and inhumane situation and transported to a licensed exotic animal/wildlife rehab facility—who was the star at the Jan. 22 Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) Open House.
“There will be no barriers to care,” said Long Beach Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal in her sentiment-filled address at the event.
Lowenthal spoke about the positive spirit that now prevails in the humane treatment of animals. She cited a steady drop in animal euthanasia and the implementation of the low-cost veterinary clinic program in which mobile units set up in parks and other locations around the city to offer vaccinations, licensing and microchips.
“And our cats are just as valuable as our dogs,” Lowenthal said—no news to a number of us. “We’ve had 2,000 cats licensed so far this year. You couldn’t even talk about cat licensing a few years ago without the swords coming out.”
Of course, Lowenthal meant claws, but licensing of cats has been a bone—heh heh—of contention between cat and dog owners. Cat licensing legislation, co-authored by Lowenthal, was put into effect last year because as many, if not more, cats are serviced by ACS. The licensing program has already resulted in the return of lost cats to their humans, and the revenue goes back to the underfunded shelter to pay for care of and services to animals.
The shelter operates with surprising efficiency, less impact on the general fund (at $3.61 per person) and a lot of heart. Impounds have been at a steady decrease until last year, when more people turned in and abandoned their pets for economic reasons. However, adoptions and owner returns have increased, mainly because of the licensing program and public education and awareness.
The bad news, Keisler said, is that most of the euthanized animals are unweaned kittens, mainly because of the number of free-roaming unaltered cats and because cats are more prolific than dogs. It is, in fact, illegal to own an unaltered cat in Long Beach. Spaying and neutering of animals, particularly cats, is a factor in bringing down the overpopulation and thereby the euthanasia numbers at the shelter.
Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) and Justin Rudd’s Haute Dogs animal-centered organization are active partners in reducing pet overpopulation. Long Beach Spay and Neuter Foundation focuses on trap/spay-neuter/release of feral cats in order to bring numbers down as well. Rudd’s organization contributes $16,000 a year to the Haute Dogs Spay and Neuter program, funded by his community efforts. FOLBA offers vouchers for low-cost spay-neuter, which are available at ACS.
“We gave about $30,000 for spay/neuter last year and over $750,000 in the past 10 years,” said FOLBA President John Gonzales. Gonzales said that this year’s FOLBA Walk for the Animals is partnering with LB Parks and Rec and will hold the event in El Dorado Park—just a few paw prints away from ACS and its adoption row.
The One Too Many Award, which honors individuals whose good works go toward reducing animal overpopulation through spay/neuter and other humane services, was given to Quigley, AMRT’s Louise Montgomery and the Pet Post’s very own Judy Crumpton. Quigley came up with the idea for the award after one too many stressful days at the shelter.
“It came full circle at home,” Quigley said. “I was despondent about one too many euthanasias, one too many litters, one too many cases of animal cruelty. What can we do to help?”
She brought her ideas, which involved community outreach and partnership, to Keisler, who enthusiastically began to implement them. Quigley, who is leaving ACS for a new director position at the San Diego Humane Society, unsuccessfully suppressed a few tears when she accepted her award from Keisler.
“I didn’t have the experience to move the shelter forward,” Keisler said. “She did. I want to tell you all how proud of her we are.”
Crumpton’s award came from the many humane efforts she’s accomplished in partnership with ACS. She and Deborah Turner, Wheely Willy’s proud mom, are embarking on a humane education project. Montgomery’s award was presented from her AMRT adoption organization, which takes shelter overflow canines and presents them for adoption.
“Louise is a dynamo,” Keisler said. “She’s good at marketing our pets and does whatever’s possible to make my job easier.”
It takes the right combination of community partnership, funding, organizing, action and heart to turn Animal Control into Animal Care Services. It’s obvious to anyone who’s been involved with ACS in any way that the office is Care in more than name. But there’s still a long way to go.
“It’s not a one-year wonder or a snapping of fingers,” Lowenthal said. “There’s so much that still needs to be done.”
From left: Suja Lowenthal, Judy Crumpton holding One Too Many award, and John Keisler
My Friend, Judy Crumpton
By Kate Karp
Judy has no idea that I’m doing this—she’s modest and humble about all of her advocacy efforts and achievements. This pairs, as it always seems to do, with a big heart. I wanted to add my own words to honor her and to tell her and everyone else how proud I am to write a column with her.
In 2008, then-co-owner of the Long Beach Post contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in writing a pet column. I initially demurred because, although I love pets and try to be as active as I can in animal advocacy, I know next to nothing about organizations, policy and everything else that goes into it. I sent out a batch e-mail to people I know who are knowledgeable, and Judy e-mailed back immediately, not just in agreement but with what I can only describe as überenthusiasm: “Yes! Yes! I’ve wanted to do this forever! Yes! When do we begin?”
Suja Lowenthal pretty much epitomized Judy in an account of their first meeting. “Two days after my election, Judy came to me and spoke passionately about animals,” she said during the award presentation. “She gave me a little breathing space to answer—and it was a gift to wrap my arms around something I was passionate about.” Whatever Judy has is contagious—Lowenthal now is one of Long Beach’s most active animal advocates.
When I talk about Judy, I frequently say, “She knows where all the bones are buried,” and “Yeah, I can string words together, but she has the heart, the passion, the energy and the selflessness.” She richly deserves her award, and I could not write this column without her, ever.
From left: Ron Arias, Michelle Quigley, ACS staff member, John Gonzales
Michelle Quigley: ‘Leaving Us as a Leader’
Michelle Quigley is a veteran of many battles. She’s come out a winner, but not without scars. Michelle is a former Marine who came to work for ACS in September 1995, when it was still Long Beach Animal Control. She has a long history as an animal advocate, starting as a volunteer at an upstate New York animal shelter at age 9, working with her Aunt Susie.
“I always knew I would someday work with animals, and I also wanted to get into law enforcement,” Michelle said. “When I discovered the profession of animal control officer, I realized it would be the best of both worlds.”
It has been, and it hasn’t been. Michelle has had the satisfaction of witnessing and participating in animal rescue, healing and adoption. She’s also fought battles that tested her morale to the limits, the toughest being the 2006 Noah’s Ark case in which 299 animals in deplorable condition were taken from a shelter. The case left Michelle stung and nearly defeated but, as John Keisler said, quoting Gen. Douglas MacArthur, she “stood up to the storm.”
Keisler, the new kid—literally, in his late twenties—came on the block as head of Animal Control in 2008 after an investigation of a dog’s mishandling in 2008, which led to searing media scrutiny and, ultimately, the shelter restructure.
“We didn’t get together under the best circumstances,” said John Keisler, who said that he came in expecting to organize the shelter and instead found himself, led by Quigley, witnessing a euthanasia so that he could see the reality behind the paperwork and statistics. “We were in crisis, and Michelle took charge. She’s taught me discipline, persistence, and how commitment and faith can be rewarded. During the past few years, we’ve had an incredible transformation. That’s why she’s leading us today.”
At a recent farewell party for her, Health and Human Services director Ron Arias said that Michelle is the ballast that kept ACS grounded.
“She’s leaving us as a leader,” Arias said. “We’ll remember her for her compassion, empathy, professionalism, and her ongoing integrity and care.”
In a few words, that defines Michelle Quigley.
~Source unknown