Animal Services

Re: “Political Briefing: Department Departure,” May 9.

Thank you for your compassionate and fair handling of the pending reassignment of Los Angeles Animal Services head Gary Olsen. It is easy for everyone who has ever done a few animal adoptions or rescued some strays to think they have all the answers to running a shelter system.

All of us who love animals and especially those involved in any organized effort to curb overpopulation and decrease euthanasia rates want to see major innovations--yesterday. A close look at Olsen’s achievements since 1994 in terms of progressive pre-release spay / neuter, disease control, animal-emergency response procedures and adoption efforts shows that he has been moving in the right direction. He leaves with more animal control officers, the impending reopening of the city’s low-cost spay / neuter clinics and construction of a long-overdue shelter in South-Central Los Angeles begun.

PHYLLIS M. DAUGHERTY

Los Angeles