Animal Care And Control Worsens Under New Ballard Appointee

Mayor Greg Ballard's administration showed little patience with former Indianapolis Animal & Control Director Doug Rae when it moved quickly to sack him last October after less than a year on the job and replaced him with Teri Kendrick. At the time, Rae's critics complained that response times took too long and there was too much overtime expense. Well, guess what? It's even worse now. WRTV reports:

New statistics detail lagging response times, a spike in overtime pay and a shortage of staff within Indianapolis Animal Care and Control.


While some emergencies are handled promptly, average response times topped seven hours in May, 6News' Joanna Massee reported . . .
 
The new statistics also show overtime costs exceeded $15,000 in May.


Public Safety Director Frank Straub said all of the issues can be linked to staffing problems.

"I think (response times are) getting longer for probably a couple reasons. One is staffing. We're down six people," he said. "I'm concerned about, clearly, the overtime, but I have to take responsibility for that because we're not moving the hiring process … because it's a bureaucracy and we're doing the best we can."

Former Acting Public Safety Director Mark Renner terminated former Animal Care and Control administrator Doug Rae in October 2009, citing poor response times.

Although the numbers have gotten worse, Straub defended Rae's replacement, current administrator Teri Kendrick.

"I look at the kennel improvements that have been made since Teri has been there. The kennel is cleaner, it runs more efficiently, the animals are treated better," Straub said.

Straub stressed that the ultimate responsibility for Animal Care and Control belongs to the community, not the city.

"This is a community responsibility," he said. "Responsible pet ownership is going to solve the problem."

Straub said he hopes a budget boost for the agency next year will help alleviate some of the current problems.

I'm curious as to how Straub would know that the agency is running better since Kendrick took over. Straub wasn't even around when Rae ran IACC. Where are all of those councilors who were screaming for Rae's head now that things have gotten worse? It's just another example of the incompetent leadership of this administration. If Ballard spent as much time tending to his mayoral responsibilities as he does trying to score free tickets, meals, gifts and out-of-state trips, he might actually make a competent, informed decision once in awhile instead of leaving it to the no-nothings who surround him calling all of the shots on a day-to-day basis. This guy can't be booted out of office soon enough.