A Los Angeles Animal Services volunteer who was recently fired from her job says she’s being silenced for bringing attention to the neglect of animals under the city’s care.
Jan Bunker spoke to the Los Angeles Times last month about the poor conditions facing small animals like rabbits and hamsters at LA shelters. Bunker and several other Harbor shelter volunteers had previously reached out to Animal Services Interim General Manager Annette Ramirez regarding a lack of food, unsanitary conditions, and frequent escapes. Bunker said most of the care for small animals falls on the volunteers and that they have been forced to buy food for them out of pocket.
Shortly after the story was published, Bunker says department staff asked her to come in for a meeting. Juan Rivera, director of volunteer programs at Animal Services, allegedly told her to hand over her personal phone. She refused and said she wanted to record the conversation. Rivera allegedly accused her of being insubordinate and told her she was fired.
Bunker places much of the blame for the poor state of LA shelters on City Councilman Paul Koretz, who oversees animal welfare issues for the city. Koretz’s opponent in the race for City Controller, Kenneth Mejia, has made the conditions at LA animal shelters a central campaign issue.
“Los Angeles Animal Shelters are in a state of crisis,” Mejia’s website reads. “Thanks to volunteers and other whistleblowers who have stepped forward, the animal neglect and mismanagement of Los Angeles Animal Services has become unignorable. As City Controller, and as a proud pet parent, I will help restore LAAS to its primary purpose— serving animals.”
Mejia has vowed to conduct a comprehensive audit of Los Angeles Animal Services and push for resource allocation if elected.
Koretz says he doesn’t know enough about Bunker’s allegations to comment.
“I expect to release my report on the department within the next week or so along with a first set of proposals to start addressing the issues at L.A. Animal Services, including both the volunteer program and small animals,” he told The Times.