REGIONAL NEWS

1 THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES WCRO Regional News S PRING 2004 REGIONAL NEWS WEST COAST REGIONAL OFFICE S ERVING C ALIFORNIA , H AWAII , AND N EVADA SPRING 2004 HSUS WCROs Bob Reder helps a local cat
advocate humanely trap feral cats in
Sacramento I t was the event everyone had
feared: The Santa Ana winds
picked up and blew raging
flames up mountainsides and
into the communities of five counties in Southern California.
Residents of San Bernardino, San
Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, and
Riverside counties fled to safety as
giant walls of flame roared toward
their houses. At the request of San
Bernardino County Animal Care
and Control (SBCACC) and San
Diego County Humane Society and
SPCA, WCRO staff rushed
personnel and supplies to help.
WCROs Eric Sakach, Cynthia
Cutler, and John Dommers soon
arrived on site in San Diego. Bob
Reder and Carol Gay coordinated
the allocation of resources,
equipment, and supplies from
WCROs Sacramento office. Also
joining in the rescue effort were
several HSUS staff members from other
regional offices and HSUS headquarters in
Gaithersburg, Maryland, as well as other
animal welfare organizations from Northern
California, Oregon, Arizona, and Texas. Working closely with San Diego County Animal Services, the HSUS team conducted
damage assessment in the burnt communities
of Crest and Valley Center. Team members
answered animal related questions and
offered pet food and supplies to families
burned out of their homes. Cutler had
accompanied Sakach and other animal
rescuers as their team canvassed one of the
charred neighborhoods in Valley Center. As
dusk fell, they came upon a house that had
been surrounded by the fires. The flames had
come right up to the backyard. From there,
all anyone could see were charred,
smoldering hillsides. A burned American flag flew at half-mast. Then a rescuer saw a black
Lab tied to a small palm tree in the backyard
with no food or water. The dog was
frightened and barked as team members
approached him. Then someone else
glimpsed the silhouette of a black cat on the
house roof. As the rest of the team freed the
dog, Cutler worked on retrieving the cat. We were looking for ways to get the cat off the roof, she explained. Nothing
worked. So I drove our vehicle up to the
garage, parked parallel, and climbed on top
of the roof of the truck. I could tell the cat
was apprehensive but wanted to come down.
It only took a few minutes for him to gain my
trust, and then he was safely in my arms.
Cutler checked him for burns. Amazingly, he
had survived the ordeal unharmed. The team
took both animals to the shelter where they
received veterinary care. Both pets were Animal Rescues
During the Firestorms continued on page 2 WCROs Cynthia Cutler gets innovative to rescue a
cat from a rooftop during the California wildfires. HSUS Managing
Feral Cats in
Sacramento T he problem of free-roaming and feral
cats is reaching major proportions
throughout our nation, and Sacra- mento is no exception. More than 75 mil-
lion cats have found their way into U.S.
homes. However, there are tens of mil-
lions more cats who struggle for survival
as strays or ferals. The HSUS Safe Cats
Program encourages cat caregivers to
keep their cats indoors and offers sug-
gestions for backyard play areas for cats.
Millions of cats suffer and die needlessly,
succumbing to disease, poisons, attacks
by other animals, abuse by humans, or
vehicle accidents, because they are
allowed to roam unsupervised. These cats
are victims of an outdated perception that
cats cannot be happy unless allowed
outdoors alone. Cats permitted to roam
freely outdoors not only face potential
harm, but also have an unintended impact
on a communitys environment and wild-
life. Free-roaming cats, even those who
are well fed, kill wild animals. continued on page 3 2 THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES WCRO Regional News S PRING 2004 reunited with their owners a few days later. The HSUS San Bernardino team worked with SBCACC to assist in animal evacua-
tions. SBCACC reported they received 860
calls from owners to evacuate their animals.
The WCRO team alone evacuated more than
180 of them. Team members also helped
staff the Norton emergency animal shelter
set up at the San Bernardino County Inter-
national Airport. In San Diego County, 3,500
horses and 500 companion animals were
evacuated. Large animals were housed
among three staging areas while small animals stayed at the countys three shelters. One of the lessons this disaster reiterated is the importance of being prepared. This
was the swiftest fire weve seen in a long
time, says Cutler. A lot of people were
caught off guard. Its in times like these that
we realize how important our pets are to us.
It is crucial to have a disaster plan for your
pets as well as your family. If you have to
evacuate, do not leave your pets, horses, or
livestock behind. If you need to evacuate,
plan ahead. Determine how long it will take
to evacuate your large animals and where
you will take them. Securely fasten an up-to- date identification tag on the animals collar,
halter, or carrier and mark livestock. Be sure
to pack a weeks worth of food, water, and
other supplies such as cat litter, medication,
vaccination records, blankets, toys, and a
photo of you with your pet. With disaster preparation fresh on her mind, Cutler conducted a preparedness
presentation at the Western Veterinary
Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, this past
February. More than 40,000 veterinarians,
vet techs, and veterinary professionals from
California, Nevada, Arizona, and Canada
attended the conference. WCRO at Disaster
Training Events E ach year WCRO staff members
exhibit HSUS disaster prepared-
ness materials for pets at a variety of special events and explain
how HSUSs disaster services teams
work. The first exhibit of 2004 helped to
commemorate the 10th anniversary of
the Northridge, California, 6.7 level
earthquake on January 17, 1994.
Gelsons Market and the Northridge
West Neighborhood Council sponsored
the event, designed to raise awareness
about emergency preparedness in
case of disaster. Thousands of local
residents had a chance to meet and
speak with dozens of exhibitors. For
more information about disaster
preparedness for pets, go to
www.hsus.org/disasters. WCRO staff member John Dom-
mers (left) discussed HSUS disaster
services programs with Northridge
area K9 Search and Rescue team
members (L-R) Becky Dennis,
Susanna Guizar, and Jerry
Volkenant. continued from Firestorm, page 1 HSUS Santa Barbara Man Charged
With Four Counts of Felony
Cruelty T he complaints began coming
to our office in July of 2003.
More than 500 horsesmany of whom were reported to us to
have been starvingappeared to
be languishing on a 1,200-acre
ranch in Buellton, California.
WCROs Bob Reder contacted the
Santa Barbara County Animal
Control and the district attorneys
office about the ranch, which was
operated under the supervision of
Slick Gardner. It is believed that
Gardner collected these wild or
feral horses from out of state and
may have been planning to create a
horse sanctuary. As information and eye-witness accounts of sick, injured, and starving horses continued to flow into our office, Reder urged
the county agencies to act quickly to determine the condition of the animals and intervene,
should that be required to relieve their suffering. With encouragement from the county supervisors, a joint investigation between the Santa Barbara District Attorneys Office and the Santa Barbara Sheriffs Office began in August and
culminated in a legal search executed in early September in which authorities seized 70 horses
because of their poor condition and need for special care. Later in September, District Attorney Tom Sneddon requested the execution of another search warrant. Reder was asked to observe and help ensure the humane treatment of approxi-
mately 500 horses that would be rounded-up, segregated, evaluated, and possibly seized. An
additional 96 horses were seized during the second search. In Reders report to the district
attorney, he noted that the law enforcement officers and their agents demonstrated patience
and compassion while performing the difficult task of processing more than 500 horses. The Santa Barbara District Attorneys Office has charged Slick Gardner with four counts of felony animal cruelty, four counts of felony fraud, one count of felony grand theft, three
misdemeanor counts of interfering with a peace officer, and one misdemeanor count of failing
to follow a court order. WCROs Bob Reder helped ensure the humane
evaluation of hundreds of horses in a large-scale
cruelty case in Buellton, California. HSUS 3 THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES WCRO Regional News S PRING 2004 Promoting the protection
of all animals WEST COAST REGIONAL OFFICE
5301 Madison Avenue, Suite 202
P.O. Box 417220 (mailing address)
Sacramento, CA 95841-7220 I want to learn how I can help our animal friends
and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Please send me information about NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP DAYTIME PHONE E-MAIL (OPTIONAL) ___ Making a memorial donation to honor the life of a pet, friend, or relative. ___ Providing for my pets in my will and in case of emergency. ___ Planning my estate and will to help animals and The HSUS. ___ Using charitable gift annuities and trusts to support The HSUS. ___ Giving The HSUS a gift of stock. All cats deserve permanent homes with responsible caregivers who keep them safely
confined and meet their needs. The HSUS
encourages all animal caregivers to make a
commitment to responsible care for the life of
their animals and offers assistance in solving
common house cat problems. Many cats are
abandoned because of their behavior. These
cats may join existing feral colonies. In response to problems and complaints surrounding one feral cat colony in Sacra-
mento, a coalition of government and non-
government organizations has formed to
humanely mitigate the situation. In addition to
WCRO, members of this coalition include the
Sacramento City Animal Care and Control,
Happy Tails Cat Rescue, the City Parks and
Recreation Department, and the Sacramento
Area Animal Coalition. Historically, animal
control agencies have approached the problem
by humanely trapping, neutering, and releas-
ing the cats. In some cases blanket euthanasia
was used. The Sacramento project has adopted
the Trap, Test, Vaccinate, Alter, Release, and
Management (TTVAR-M) method recommend-
ed by The HSUS. It is the management component that sep- arates this program from the others, said
WCROs Bob Reder. It is crucial that feral cat
colonies be well managed for the optimal health
and safety of the cats and the environment. The
goal of this program is to reach zero population
through natural attrition. Only cats with
incurable diseases or serious injuries will be
euthanized, and, of course, all will be altered,
evaluated for adoption, and vaccinated. Safe Cats at
Rivercats W CRO took the Safe Cats cam-
paign out to the ballgame last
August by staffing an infor- mation booth at the Sacramento River-
cats game. The campaign seeks to dispel
myths about cats and encourage cat
owners to keep their cats safe indoors. Cats are Americas most popular pets. Most cat owners love their pets but are
unaware that their cat is safer and can
be just as happy when kept safely
confined. Those who are allowed out-
doors unsupervised are more likely to die
prematurely from diseases, poisons,
attacks by other animals, abuse by
humans, or vehicle accidents. WCROs
Eric Sakach and Cynthia Cutler staffed
the booth, promoting the campaign and
handing out literature, catnip toys, and
magnets to baseball fans. Sakach pre-
sented a specially signed Mutts comic
strip to the Rivercats in appreciation for
their support of Safe Cats. HSUS continued from Feral Cats, page 1 Fixathon
Sets Record M ore than 300 San Diego feral cats
got a fix on March 14, 2004a
spay/neuter fix, that is. The Feral Cat Coalition spayed or neutered 308 cats at the Rancho San Diego
Animal Hospital in El Cajon, California,
where the group held its first large-scale
spay/neuter operation. According to Larry
Boersma, spokesperson for the Coalition,
the number set a world record. The events
goal was to help reduce the areas feral cat
population. WCROs John Dommers helped docu- ment the event with digital videotaping and
digital photography. In addition, he do-
nated a public address system that was used
in the exhibit area. HSUS plans to assist
with future feral cat Fixathons. Volunteers prepare cats for surgery at the
Fixathon in El Cajon, California. Feral
Cat Coalition and Spay Neuter Action
Project altered 308 cats during the event. JOHN DOMMERS/HSUS 4 THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES WCRO Regional News F ALL 2003 Legislative Update California Restriction on the sale of baby birds. Introduced by Assemblywoman Ellen
Corbett (D) of Alameda County, A.B. 202,
which will become effective September 1,
2004, prohibits pet stores from selling
unweaned parrots. This law will also apply
to bird sales at swap meets or other
commercial ventures. Pet stores may also not
possess an unweaned parrot unless they
employ at least one person who has
completed the Pet Industry Joint Advisory
Councils avian certification program. Veterinarians now permitted to issue dog licenses. In an effort to raise dog licensing compliance, Assemblyman Robert Dutton
(R) of Rancho Cucamonga introduced A.B.
326, which allows county supervisors or
animal control departments to authorize
veterinarians in their jurisdiction to issue
dog licenses. The measure passed. State agencies urged to develop vegetarian school lunches. A resolution by Assemblyman Joe Nations (D) of Marin, urges all state
agencies to develop school lunches that
include daily vegetarian options. Special vehicle license plates. A provision for a special interest license plate that would
benefit spay/neuter programs was
introduced by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine
(D) of Van Nuys. A.B. 1118 passed the
Assembly and is on to the Senate. Please
show your support for this needed bill that
will enhance spay/neuter programs
throughout the state, by sending a letter to
Assemblyman Levine at his office, California
State Assembly, P.O. Box 942849,
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001. Hayden Bill provisions suspended. The Hayden Bill (S.B.1785) aimed to improve
conditions and adoptions for shelter ani-
mals. But it came with a price tag that the
state is not willing to pay. While law suits
are pending and the state is enduring a
budget crisis, the provisions pertaining to
holding periods have been suspended.
Shelters may revert to the three-day stray
holding period instead of five days
prescribed by the Hayden Bill. Ban on declawing exotic or wild cats. Assemblyman David Koretz (D) of West
Hollywood has introduced A.B. 1857, which
would make it a misdemeanor for any
person to perform, procure, or arrange for
the surgical removal of claws of any exotic
or native wild cat. The American Veterinary
Medical Association guidelines oppose such
procedures. Please show your support by
sending a letter to Assemblyman Koretz,
California State Assembly, P.O. Box 942849,
Sacramento, CA 95814-0042. Hawaii Felony animal cruelty . S.B. 3137 and its companion H.B. 2791 propose to make
aggravated cruelty to animals a class C
felony for anyone who intentionally or
knowingly commits certain acts of animal
cruelty. A very important provision in this
bill allows the court to order counseling for
a person convicted of animal cruelty. The
HSUS and the Hawaiian Humane Society
support these bills. Nevada Mandatory counseling for juveniles. Acknowledging the link between animal
cruelty and human violence, A.B. 221,
introduced by Assemblyman Bernie
Anderson and signed into law May 13, 2003,
provides for mandatory evaluation and
counseling for juveniles committing offenses
involving firearms or cruelty to animals. Not
every juvenile animal abuser becomes a
serial killer, but nearly every serial killer was a juvenile animal abuser. Early intervention
is a necessary step in the attempt to alter a
life of violent behavior. Animal cruelty laws strengthened. Gov. Kenny Guinn signed legislation this past
June that provides for minimum sentencing,
increased penalties for repeat offenders of
animal cruelty laws, protection for police
and service dogs, and makes the killing of
livestock, strays, and wild horses a felony.
Due in part to the horse killings in Storey
County, this bill garnered support from the
ranching community, wild horse advocates,
service animal groups, and The HSUS. Captive-bred parrots are afforded more
protection thanks to a new California law
scheduled to go into effect this fall. Regulations Update F or many years, The HSUS has been
committed to helping residents and
pets live together successfully in multi-family housing. Since 1983, senior citizens and people with disabilities living in certain federally
subsidized housing projects have been
allowed to have pets. In 1998, that privi-
lege was extended to all residents in
federally-assisted housing. We have until
August 23 to comment on the department
of Housing and Urban Developments
(HUD) proposed regulations, which, as
written, seriously jeopardize the success
of this effort. Please contact the Office of the General Counsel, Rules Docket Clerk, Rm
10276, U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street,
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20410-0500 to urge
them to require spaying and neutering of
companion animals in congregated and
federally-subsidized housing; to establish
pet committees to oversee the day-to-
day operation of pet ownership policies
and enforcement of the pet rules; to
ensure that pet rules protect the safety,
health, and well-being of pets as well as
people; and not to require procedures
such as declawing or removing an
animal's vocal cords as conditions of pet
ownership. WCRO Assists in Goat
and Cat Rescues A t the request of El Dorado County
Animal Control, WCRO Program
Coordinator Cynthia Cutler (below in photo) assisted in the rescue of 70 goats who veterinarians determined were starving
and neglected. A neighbors complaint
initiated the investigation. All goats were
health screened, numbered, documented,
and transported to the animal control shelter
for treatment. Cruelty charges against the
owner are pending. A few weeks later, WCRO Regional Coordinator Bob Reder assisted with the
execution of a search warrant at a residence
where 60 catsmany of whom required
veterinary carewere housed in unsanitary
conditions. Authorities seized 18 cats, and
charges are pending against the owner. WCRO Director Sakach
Recognized for Animal
Protection Work WCRO Director Eric Sakach was a recipient
of a Humane-itarian Award presented by the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals during its second annual
Humane-itarian Awards dinner celebration
February 5 in Sacramento. Sakach was
recognized for his work in animal protection
over the past 28 years. Voice Against Violence WCROs Bob Reder participated in the
annual Voice Against Violence day at the
Sacramento City College. In addition to
HSUS presentations, the Sacramento County
Sheriffs Office, National Organization for
Women, Women Escaping a Violent
Environment, the Sacramento City Police
Department, and the Association of Student
Government also gave talks. Reder noted the
link between animal abuse and human
violence and emphasized the need for
intervention and counseling. 5 THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES WCRO Regional News S PRING 2004 HSUS Regional Wrap-up Y ou can see them lolling away the day
on the beach or frisking in the ocean.
Theyre the harbor seals of La Jolla, Californias, seawall-protected Childrens
Pool beach. The beach offers the closest
look at wild harbor seals to be found any-
where on North Americas west coast.
According to San Diego lifeguard records,
about 80,000 people a month come to the
beach to sealwatch. Depending on the
time of day, those visiting the beach can see
100 or more seals. Theyre a star attraction.
And theyve shared the beach with people
since the seawall was built in 1931. But that
isnt stopping some local residents, including
a city councilman, who would like to see the
seals permanently removed. To protect the seals, The HSUS has joined forces with local groups and individuals in La Jolla, California, to protect
this small beach as a harbor seal
resting area. The beach offers the
seals their only high- and low-
tide sheltered pupping and
nursing area on the mainland
south of Carpenteria. In fact,
several seal pups were born on
the beach this year. WCRO staff member John Dommers wrote to his San Diego
City Councilman last year
stating, in part: As generous as
people can be to build structures
such as the Childrens Pool, no
person can purchase the
environmental rights to a specialized marine
environment to the exclusion of another
species. I find the arguments that this area
was built for human children and not for
seals to be selfish and elitist in nature. No matter how gently or forcibly one tries to dissuade the seals from the
Childrens Pool beach, it will constitute
harassment. I urge the city council to
capitalize on the outstanding education and
recreation opportunity the harbor seals
provide to the hundreds of thousands of
visitors who enjoy viewing them each year. The children of La Jolla have a wide selection of beaches in La Jolla and San
Diego. The seals have a very limited
selection of resting places, especially where
they can be easily viewed and appreciated by
hundreds each day. Please abandon any plan
to eliminate the seals from their natural
environment and allow them to continue
using the beach area undisturbed. Concerned individuals are urged to contact the San Diego City Council and ask
them not to eliminate the seal resting area at
the Childrens Pool. You can contact
Councilman Scott Peters at 202 C. St,
MS#10A, San Diego, CA 92101; or
ScottPeters@sandiego.gov. La Jolla Seals Just Want to Share A child sealwatches at La Jollas Childrens Pool
beach. If some get their way, the sealsand the joy
they bring to thousandswill be removed. JOHN DOMMERS/HSUS JOHN DOMMERS/HSUS 6 THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES WCRO Regional News S PRING 2004 F ifty years ago, a small and dedicated
group of humanitarians recognized that
very little was being done about the horrific cruelties endured by animals in food
production, research, and in the name of
sport and entertainment. The founders of The HSUS were convinced that the humane movement had
to develop the capacity to attack national
and regional cruelties that were often
beyond the scope of any local humane
organization or even any state or federal
agency. Since 1954, The HSUS has emerged
as the largest and most influential animal
protection organization in the world. Through our work over the past half century, The HSUS has prevented cruelty,
alleviated suffering, and saved the lives of
countless animals. For many of those animals, relief came when HSUS staff members physically
responded to their plightwhether during
animal rescue operations in one of the many
disasters weve responded to or during the
course of one of the hundreds of cruelty cases in which weve been
involved. While much of our
work has been reported in the
pages of our various publications
and the regional newsletters,
theres a good chance youve also
read or heard something about
the animal protection efforts of
The HSUS in the media. Pouring through historical documents and pictures in
preparation for this column was
both exciting and revealing. I was
overwhelmed by how much has
been accomplished. There were far too many
achievements to list within this small space,
but they are certainly worthy of mention. A
compilation of these highlights from the
early years to the present is at
www.hsus.org/wcro. Animals were helped in other ways that might not be immediately measurable, but
which are just as importantmaybe even
more so. I am referring to our ongoing
educational, legal, and legislative efforts on
the local, state, and federal levels. In 1957, The HSUS embarked on a program to open a self-supporting branch in
every state. These offices were first incor-
porated in Connecticut, New Jersey, Utah,
Minnesota, Virginia, California, Texas,
Illinois, and Maryland. As the organizations
influence grew, so did the demand for HSUS
involvement in other states. In the early
1970s, HSUS President John Hoyt conceived
the idea of creating regional offices across
the country to provide better service to all
states. The West Coast Regional Office was
among the first seven offices to open. As I reflect on my nearly 28 years working with The HSUS, the first 19 of
which I served as both a regional and
national investigator, I am proud to have
been part of an organization that has been
instrumental and often directly responsible
for making advances on so many fronts. Today, in addition to our headquarters in Washington, D.C., and an operations center
in Gaithersburg, Maryland, The HSUS has
10 regional offices strategically located
across the country; 250 staff members,
including veterinarians, wildlife biologists,
lawyers, animal behaviorists, investigators,
and other professionals. And because animal
issues increasingly extend beyond Americas
borders, we also have an international arm. Because of the more than eight million people who, like you, care deeply about
animals and understand the importance of
building a strong organization, the animals
have gained a voice that will no longer be
ignored by the industries that exploit them
or the political leaders who represent us. Of course, our work is far from finished. The problems animals face and the suffering
they endure in these changing times involve
staggering numbers and increasingly com-
plex issues. Today, when one in every 50
Americans supports The HSUS, we can say
with certainty that we are moving closer to
the realization of creating a truly humane
society. Directors Report By Eric Sakach Director of the West Coast
Regional Office Looking Back and to
the Future: The HSUS
Commemorates a
Half Century of
Animal Protection Contacting HSUS Write: HSUS West Coast Regional Office
P.O. Box 417220
Sacramento, CA 95841-7220 Call: 916-344-1710 Fax: 916-344-1808 E-Mail: wcro@hsus.org Web Page: www.hsus.org/wcro The WCRO Regional News is a publication
of The Humane Society of the United
States, West Coast Regional Office, P.O. Box
417220, Sacramento, CA 95841-7220; 916-
344-1710. Eric Sakach, director. The office is
open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. and is closed on federal holidays.

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