Ed Boks and the 'no-kill' race takes to L.A.

Former Animal Care and Control Director Ed Boks...

is hoping a little friendly rivalry will save lots of homeless animals in both New York and Los Angeles.

Boks, who is slated to take over Los Angeles' controversial Animal Services Department this week, said the two cities should compete to see which will become "no-kill" first.

"No-kill," the high bar for animal shelters, means that healthy, adoptable animals will no longer be euthanized simply because there is no one to adopt them and no more space at the shelters to keep them.

"It's about consciousness-raising," Boks said. "This is one of the few social problems with a very simple solution."

But Animal Care, which contracts with the city, receives only about $7 million for animal control services every year. And unlike other nonprofit animal rescue groups, it cannot turn away any unwanted or stray animals.

Last month, Boks and the board announced a mutual agreement to let his contract expire, and he accepted the job in Los Angeles.

Although adoptions increased and euthanasia rates dropped during Boks' two-year tenure in New York, he said the lack of funding made the job difficult. And he is worried about the city following through on its commitment to become "no-kill."

Boks urged the Animal Care and Control board, which is chaired by city Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden, to boost funding to the point where "AC&C can provide the level of services New Yorkers expect and deserve for themselves and their pets."

He said he hopes the upcoming budget negotiations "don't fall through the cracks."

Boks faces new, even tougher challenges as he takes over Animal Services in Los Angeles. The former general manager was fired — a move that bitterly divided activists in the animal care community.
But Los Angeles has a larger budget and six shelters — twice as many as in New York City.

Jane Hoffman, head of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, said she is confident that Animal Care and Control will continue in the right direction, noting that Mayor Bloomberg stood at a press conference last year and said the city was moving to a "no-kill" goal.

"We do feel more funding needs to be devoted to AC&C," Hoffman said. "But we also have to make sure the money they do receive is properly allocated and does not replicate existing programs."

Hoffman and ASPCA President Ed Sayres will speak about "Making New York City a Humane Community" on Jan. 5 at 8 p.m. at the 92nd Street Y. by Lisa L. Colangelo
Visit www.animalalliancenyc.org