OC Animal Care Suffers from Incompetent County Managers/Supervisors

A recent op-ed showed how the county's animal shelter (OCAC) failed to provide proper care and adoption opportunities to the homeless animals of OC. It turns out that Supervisor Andrew Do’s resignation in the recent corruption scandal is related to the mismanagement failures the animal shelter.

A recent article shares how the same senior county managers (including Dylan Wright) were involved in both the Andrew Do scandal and in dooming OCAC to operate well below industry standards. This is what we can read in the Voice of OC article:

“Last year, Dylan Wright received $420,000 in pay and benefits. How is he doing in other county services under his authority? Readers who follow the OC animal shelter’s troubles know that Dylan Wright appointed and protected unqualified directors who threw away the shelter’s Strategic Plan. The shelter is way below industry standards in frontline staff. Yet, at the August 13 Board meeting, Dylan Wright submitted fabricated claims to the contrary. Andrew Do pitched in with obscure technical arguments and his vote in support of Dylan Wright.”

Another recent article highlights the incompetence of the current OCAC Director Monica Schmidt, appointed by Dylan Wright. As the article states: “The county bureaucracy prefers political spinning over operational knowledge and experience. That’s why they chose Monica Schmidt for OC Animal Care Director. She overstated her animal sheltering qualifications to get the job, reflecting a habitual practice of misleading the community and elected officials.”

Please join me in voicing your concerns to those who are responsible for the injustices caused to the homeless animals of Orange County by contacting your local officials. Share this concise leaflet with other OC residents.

I believe OCAC can and will become a shelter all can be proud of with the help of compassionate leaders and knowledgeable animal welfare advocates. For this to happen, we need to press our elected officials to act.

Jackie Lamirande is a Laguna Beach resident. Since 1992, she has served multiple animal welfare organizations (municipal shelters and non-profits) across the country, including staff Director of Volunteer Services, volunteer foster care administrator, and a member of the Board of Directors. She is a former volunteer at Orange County Animal Care (OCAC).