Animal welfare group fights back to protect its 1,500 interests

Photos

This dog is one of more than 1,500 animals housed at DELTA Rescue

see larger image

uploaded by Sharon Raiford Bush

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA -- The largest no-kill, care-for-life animal sanctuary of its type in the world landed some tough blows to the chin this week in an on-going sparring session with local government.

D.E.L.T.A. Rescue's top legal eagle held no punches when he charged the director of LA County Department of Animal Care and Control with conducting a "false and malicious assassination attempt of Leo Grillo," founder and president of the animal group.

In a news bulletin posted on the animal welfare group's website, Atty. William Hess accuses Animal Care and Control director Marcia Mayeda of making public statements that are “false, reckless and, therefore, appear to have been made maliciously and in a manner unbefitting a public official,” Hess stated.

Hess' stern comments were in response to a August 4, 2010, letter Mayeda posted on the Animal Care and Control's website and made viral on the Internet that the attorney labels as being misleading and erroneous.

At issue is whether D.E.L.T.A. Rescue was granted a permanent license to operate the facility, which provides a home to more than 1,500 previously abandoned animals.

County officials contend the animal welfare group does not hold license exemption status. Hess stands in dispute, saying the group was determined lawfully to be a license-exempt establishment in 1997.

“I know this to be absolutely correct because I personally was told this by Frank Andrews, then director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. This had nothing to do with a ‘fee exemption,’” Hess stated.

Since then, Hess said D.E.L.T.A. Rescue has made numerous attempts to solve all matters regarding licensing and a litany of other entanglements, but its efforts have been thwarted continually by reams of red tape, changes made to existing policies and constant development of new rules and regulations that support LA County and not animal welfare and protection.

To read the bulletin and Hess' letter in their entirety, go here.

Contact author: EPmagWest@aol.com