Marcia Mayeda, director of Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.
Thirty years ago, I led an animal shelter in Topeka, Kansas and we were often called upon to assist when authorities raided illegal and inhumane puppy mills. These neglected, ill animals needed safe havens where they could receive treatment and ultimately be placed for adoption. We accepted this difficult and heartbreaking duty because of the compelling need to save these animals and help stem the fraud perpetrated on unsuspecting purchasers of their offspring.
The memories of the atrocities I witnessed as I worked alongside State inspectors, veterinarians, and animal welfare colleagues at these locations still haunt me to this day. The gross and callous disregard for basic animal needs and extreme suffering were unconscionable.