The 2016 Stayin' Alive Long Beach
Animal Welfare Voter Information Guide
Stayin’ Alive Long Beach works politically to decrease the 32% kill rate at our city animal shelter by advocating for the use of lifesaving programs at Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS).
We specifically advocate for a strong and cost-effective adoption, foster and volunteer program at the shelter, in addition to high-volume low-cost spay/neuter, to help the City sustainably achieve a 90% save rate. We believe Long Beach will join the ranks of the most animal-friendly cities in the nation when progressive, animal-friendly people who are open to learning about twenty-first century advances in animal sheltering are elected to City Council and direct City management to make much-needed changes. To that end, the following are our candidate picks for the Long Beach 2016 primary nominating election.
Laurie Angel and Robert Harmon Rating: 4 PAWS
Laurie Angel (8) stood out among the candidates as having that rare constellation of qualities among elected officials: compassion, integrity, smarts and a willingness to stand up for what is right. Laurie took the time to read our model ordinance for a Long Beach Lifesaving Implementation Plan and gave feedback on it, demonstrating that she takes the concerns of Long Beach animal lovers and humane advocates seriously. Because of her humane orientation and commitment to the democratic ideals of transparency and social justice, we believe Laurie will be a solid advocate for our shelter animals, willing to do what is right, rather than what is easy.
Robert Harmon (6) is a steadfast animal advocate who has worked in breed rescue and is passionate about animal welfare. We were impressed by his interest in learning about the innovative solutions to shelter killing that the No Kill approach offers, and we believe he has the ability to effect real change by championing progressive programs and policies that will remove City management’s roadblocks to lifesaving that currently keep Long Beach’s shelter kill rate unnecessarily high and its progress slow.
Jeannine Pearce Rating: 3.5 PAWS
Jeannine Pearce (2) is a lifelong animal lover who has volunteered in shelter settings. Although her responses to our survey showed a certain level of interest in adoption and foster programs, we’re hoping that seeing the proven success of these programs in other cities will encourage her to embrace them fully. She is knowledgeable and appears open to exploring other progressive programs as additions to traditional spay/neuter as a means of lifesaving.
Joen Garnica and Josephine Villasenor Rating: 3 PAWS
Though she has a general understanding of shelter issues, we applaud Joen Garnica’s (2) positive regard for animals. She acknowledges that some policies at LBACS, though well-intentioned, will need to be re-assessed if we want to increase lifesaving. This leads us to believe that she would approach the problem of the City’s 32% euthanasia rate thoughtfully and with care.
Josephine Villasenor (6) takes a clearly compassionate view of shelter animals, and we view her experience in animal rescue as positive. We believe she would give a strong voice to shelter animals upon learning more about the policy and program problems that currently block lifesaving efforts at the LBACS animal shelter.
Eric Gray Rating: 2.5 PAWS
Eric Gray’s (2) responses to our survey showed a general concern for shelter animals, but they lacked detail, leaving us wondering whether he has a strong enough interest in the problems at LBACS to lead much-needed change. If he is willing to stand up to the rigid and out of date status quo imposed by City management, he could be an important source of support for shelter animals.
Erik Miller Rating: 1.5 PAWS
Erik Miller’s (6) honesty and his interest in learning more about how LBACS policies impact our shelter animals were commendable, but he was undecided on a number of issues, such as a public commitment by the City to a strong city-run adoption program at LBACS that would save the 72% of animals not taken in by SpcaLA. We view this issue as absolutely key to improving lifesaving at Long Beach Animal Care Services and need a candidate who will go to bat for the animals at our shelter.
Dee Andrews, Al Austin and Wesley Turnbow Rating: Zero PAWS
Dee Andrews (6) did not respond to our survey; however, this is not news, as he has not been responsive to requests to meet with no kill advocates during his tenure in City Council. Indeed, he has shown little to no interest in issues affecting our city’s shelter animals.
Al Austin’s (8) lack of response to our survey also came as no surprise – shelter animal welfare has not appeared to be a priority for him during his time on Council, and his interest in animal welfare issues appears to be very minimal.
Wesley Turnbow’s (8) e-mailed decision not to respond to candidate surveys this election left us doubting his interest in responding to voters’ concerns in general, and to the concerns of Long Beach’s animal lovers, in particular.
*Numbers in parentheses refer to district the candidate is seeking office in.
The preceding is Stayin’ Alive Long Beach’s analysis and opinion of the candidates for Long Beach’s 2016 municipal election based on surveys and interviews with candidates. Stayin’ Alive Long Beach is Long Beach’s only animal welfare organization advocating to end the killing of Long Beach’s lost and homeless pets through the implementation of new proven, cost-effective policies and programs that have dramatically reduced shelter killing in communities across America. These ratings are not endorsements.
District 2 Candidates
Jeannine Pearce - 3.5 PAWS
Joen Garnica - 3 PAWS
Eric Gray - 2.5 PAWS
Click here to see candidates' responses
District 6 Candidates
Robert Harmon - 4 PAWS
Josephine Villasenor - 3 PAWS
Erik Miller - 1.5 PAWS
Dee Andrews - 0 PAWS
Click here to see candidates' responses
District 8 Candidates
Laurie Angel - 4 PAWS
Al Austin - 0 PAWS
Wesley Turnbow - 0 PAWS
Click here to see candidates' responses
We specifically advocate for a strong and cost-effective adoption, foster and volunteer program at the shelter, in addition to high-volume low-cost spay/neuter, to help the City sustainably achieve a 90% save rate. We believe Long Beach will join the ranks of the most animal-friendly cities in the nation when progressive, animal-friendly people who are open to learning about twenty-first century advances in animal sheltering are elected to City Council and direct City management to make much-needed changes. To that end, the following are our candidate picks for the Long Beach 2016 primary nominating election.
Laurie Angel and Robert Harmon Rating: 4 PAWS
Laurie Angel (8) stood out among the candidates as having that rare constellation of qualities among elected officials: compassion, integrity, smarts and a willingness to stand up for what is right. Laurie took the time to read our model ordinance for a Long Beach Lifesaving Implementation Plan and gave feedback on it, demonstrating that she takes the concerns of Long Beach animal lovers and humane advocates seriously. Because of her humane orientation and commitment to the democratic ideals of transparency and social justice, we believe Laurie will be a solid advocate for our shelter animals, willing to do what is right, rather than what is easy.
Robert Harmon (6) is a steadfast animal advocate who has worked in breed rescue and is passionate about animal welfare. We were impressed by his interest in learning about the innovative solutions to shelter killing that the No Kill approach offers, and we believe he has the ability to effect real change by championing progressive programs and policies that will remove City management’s roadblocks to lifesaving that currently keep Long Beach’s shelter kill rate unnecessarily high and its progress slow.
Jeannine Pearce Rating: 3.5 PAWS
Jeannine Pearce (2) is a lifelong animal lover who has volunteered in shelter settings. Although her responses to our survey showed a certain level of interest in adoption and foster programs, we’re hoping that seeing the proven success of these programs in other cities will encourage her to embrace them fully. She is knowledgeable and appears open to exploring other progressive programs as additions to traditional spay/neuter as a means of lifesaving.
Joen Garnica and Josephine Villasenor Rating: 3 PAWS
Though she has a general understanding of shelter issues, we applaud Joen Garnica’s (2) positive regard for animals. She acknowledges that some policies at LBACS, though well-intentioned, will need to be re-assessed if we want to increase lifesaving. This leads us to believe that she would approach the problem of the City’s 32% euthanasia rate thoughtfully and with care.
Josephine Villasenor (6) takes a clearly compassionate view of shelter animals, and we view her experience in animal rescue as positive. We believe she would give a strong voice to shelter animals upon learning more about the policy and program problems that currently block lifesaving efforts at the LBACS animal shelter.
Eric Gray Rating: 2.5 PAWS
Eric Gray’s (2) responses to our survey showed a general concern for shelter animals, but they lacked detail, leaving us wondering whether he has a strong enough interest in the problems at LBACS to lead much-needed change. If he is willing to stand up to the rigid and out of date status quo imposed by City management, he could be an important source of support for shelter animals.
Erik Miller Rating: 1.5 PAWS
Erik Miller’s (6) honesty and his interest in learning more about how LBACS policies impact our shelter animals were commendable, but he was undecided on a number of issues, such as a public commitment by the City to a strong city-run adoption program at LBACS that would save the 72% of animals not taken in by SpcaLA. We view this issue as absolutely key to improving lifesaving at Long Beach Animal Care Services and need a candidate who will go to bat for the animals at our shelter.
Dee Andrews, Al Austin and Wesley Turnbow Rating: Zero PAWS
Dee Andrews (6) did not respond to our survey; however, this is not news, as he has not been responsive to requests to meet with no kill advocates during his tenure in City Council. Indeed, he has shown little to no interest in issues affecting our city’s shelter animals.
Al Austin’s (8) lack of response to our survey also came as no surprise – shelter animal welfare has not appeared to be a priority for him during his time on Council, and his interest in animal welfare issues appears to be very minimal.
Wesley Turnbow’s (8) e-mailed decision not to respond to candidate surveys this election left us doubting his interest in responding to voters’ concerns in general, and to the concerns of Long Beach’s animal lovers, in particular.
*Numbers in parentheses refer to district the candidate is seeking office in.
The preceding is Stayin’ Alive Long Beach’s analysis and opinion of the candidates for Long Beach’s 2016 municipal election based on surveys and interviews with candidates. Stayin’ Alive Long Beach is Long Beach’s only animal welfare organization advocating to end the killing of Long Beach’s lost and homeless pets through the implementation of new proven, cost-effective policies and programs that have dramatically reduced shelter killing in communities across America. These ratings are not endorsements.
District 2 Candidates
Jeannine Pearce - 3.5 PAWS
Joen Garnica - 3 PAWS
Eric Gray - 2.5 PAWS
Click here to see candidates' responses
District 6 Candidates
Robert Harmon - 4 PAWS
Josephine Villasenor - 3 PAWS
Erik Miller - 1.5 PAWS
Dee Andrews - 0 PAWS
Click here to see candidates' responses
District 8 Candidates
Laurie Angel - 4 PAWS
Al Austin - 0 PAWS
Wesley Turnbow - 0 PAWS
Click here to see candidates' responses
