by Kenneth Reich, Times Staff Writer
Citing financial ripple effects of the Sept. 11 East
Coast attacks, the Los Angeles chapter of the SPCA is closing two pet
adoption centers and firing eight workers. Madeline Bernstein, president
of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles, said
the nonprofit organization has been hit hard by a sudden decline in
contributions as many donors gave instead to relief efforts in New York
City. Other Southland groups that depend on charitable giving expressed
similar worries. "After the disaster, a lot of our donations immediately
dried up," Bernstein said. "We're not getting mail." And only 183
volunteers have signed up for the group's annual "dog walk" fund-raiser,
set for Oct. 6, she said. "We usually see close to 1,000 by this time."
Compounding the problem, a drop in the stock market has
cut the value of the organization's endowment in half, to $4.9 million,
reducing its ability to cope with the decline in donations. The SPCA is
closing its Los Angeles pet adoption center at 5026 W. Jefferson Blvd.
on Monday and its Santa Monica Place center Nov. 1. Its four other
centers in Los Angeles, Hawthorne, Manhattan Beach and Long Beach will
stay open."
[Editor's Note: Be aware that animal organizations all
over the country will likely be affected the same way as the LA SPCA.
Let's not forget that the animals never stop needing our help.]
Go on to Please Help
Bill Maher
Return to 3 October 2001 Issue
Return to Newsletters
** Fair Use Notice**
This document may contain copyrighted material, use of which has not been
specifically authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that this
not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes a fair use of the
copyrighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law). If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your
own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner.
