The nomination of Staycee Dains for the position of head of the Los Angeles Animal Services department was approved by a city council committee on Wednesday. The leadership position had been vacant since April 2021.
The Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee, with Councilwoman Heather Hutt absent, voted 2-0 to recommend Dains’ appointment. Dains currently serves as the director of Long Beach Animal Care Services.
LA Mayor Karen Bass nominated Dains on June 1, and the nomination will now be considered by the full City Council.
“Undoubtedly, you will want to hear what I will do to improve L.A., and the truth is that I won’t make improvements alone,” said Dains. “No one person can. As the general manager, I will provide transparency, expertise, and support in leadership at all levels of our organization.
“I will deeply invest in our staff and volunteers so that they can continue to grow in this work. I will always strive to be worthy of the responsibilities of this position,” she added.
Councilman John Lee, a committee member, outlined some challenges the department faces, including chronic pet overpopulation, staffing issues, and increased owner surrenders due to the pandemic.
Dains expressed confidence in her experience as a shelter operations director and leading animal services in Long Beach. According to the mayor’s office, Dains has over 20 years of experience in animal welfare leadership and has successfully increased adoption and lifesaving rates wherever she has worked.
During her tenure in Long Beach, Dains developed the department’s “Compassion Saves” operating model, which aims to reduce euthanasia and increase pet adoption through various programs.
In 2022, LBACS achieved its highest-ever adoption rate, placing 1,968 pets into homes and increasing animal placement by 194% since 2018, according to Long Beach officials.
Dains also implemented programs that improved staff and volunteer morale and involvement, as stated by Bass’ office.
“I am confident that she will establish a clear and shared vision guided by industry standards and best practices to continue developing L.A. Animal Services into a 21st Century model for humane and successful animal care and resident services,” said Bass in a statement.
Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, the committee chair, asked Dains about her plans to prevent more animals from entering shelters and how she would maximize the department’s budget.
Dains emphasized that it is more cost-effective to help individuals with animal issues before the animals end up in shelters.
In terms of spending, Dains suggested reevaluating and reorganizing operations to ensure they meet the needs of both the organization and the community.
If confirmed by the full council, Dains will replace Annette Ramirez, who has been serving as LAAS’ interim general manager since the retirement of former general manager Brenda Barnette.
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