Minutes -- DAWS Meeting -- 7 PM, Jan. 8, 2007

Attendees at the Meeting:

Charlotte Laws
Cliff Jacobs 
Rene Succa-Ruston  818-522-7311  renes@c21America.com
Scott Sorrentino
Coby Siegenthaler
Robin Seidel
Missy Woodward
Curt Steindler  curt@marvista.org (310) 213-5420
Jeff Gross
Kevin Boal
Tina Clark
Lisa Reveen
George Shea
Adele Langdon
Kris Kelly
Carmen Frost 818-763-7199  shoppingirl15@yahoo.com


The meeting started at 7 PM. DAW President Charlotte Laws led the
first half of the meeting while Sherman Oaks DAW Marlene Goodman led
the second half.

1. The first order of business was the election of six DAWS as members of the
Executive Council.  Eleven candidates were placed on the ballot:

Gary Baratta
Marlene Goodman
Cliff Jacobs
Kris Kelly
Adele Langdon
Diana Lannes
Lisa Reveen
George Shea
Scott Sorrentino
Missy Woodward
Sky Valencia

Some DAWS had already cast ballots by e-mail before the meeting. Other DAWS
cast their ballots at the meeting itself.  DAWS President Charlotte collected
ballots at the meeting and announced she would post the results of the election
later in the evening. All the DAWS present at the meeting introduced themselves,
printed ballots were cast and collected by President Laws.

2. George Shea, DAW Secretary & Studio City DAW discussed the situation re the Chow
Bella Pet Spa in Studio City. On Nov. 17, 2005, Chow Bella,despite a history of past abuses,
including the deaths of two dogs, one sold by Chow Bella (in 2004) while seriously ill, another
killed while in a Chow Bella boarding facility and a number of reported injuries to dogs and
cats, was granted a variance to run a boarding facility by the City Planning Commission.
Motions were passed against the granting of the variance by both the SCRA and the SCNC,
but no letters were sent by either group to the City Planning Commission. Also no one showed
up to take a position against the variance at the hearing on Nov. 17, 2005, and so the
variance was granted. Roughly a month later, a dog being boarded at Chow Bella by Josh
Glass, a Sherman Oaks resident, died at Chow Bella. Glass reported that the dog received
insufficient medical treatment nor was he notified of the animal's illness though he had left forwarding numbers with Chow Bella.

Rene Succa-Ruston noted that a number of her friends told her injuries and
other negative incidents at Chow Bella. SCRA DAW Robin Siedel reported that
at the time of one animal death in the summer of 2004, Chow Bella was in a
partnership with Sam's Grooming and, on that basis, was boarding animals in
the Sam's boarding facilities.  Mar Vista NC DAW Kurt Steindler said he was
compiling a record of sloppily-made decisions by the City Planning Commission.

3. Jamie Cordero, Pres. of Van Nuys NC, former candidate for LA City Council
addressed the meeting. Cordero spoke about his past political actions, running
for Dist. 2 council seat. Cordero noted his various civic memberships and comittment to
Van Nuys NC and welfare of animals in district. He spoke negatively about poor
attitude of workers at East Valley Animal Shelter and need for improved
training. He stressed his support for No-Kill and free spaying and neutering and
related story about he and his wife rescued abused dog that East Valley Animal
Shelter failed to find home for. Cordero also favors revitalizing the Van Nuys
corridor.
Cordero noted that if City Councilmember gets 15-20 complaints on any one issue,
they start thinking about taking action, they get 50 complaints, they often take
action. He stressed power for getting things done that members of LA City Council
have, told personal story about Wendy Greul's office taking action after his wife was
attacked by two pit bulls. Election is March 6.  Cordero favors free spaying/neurtering
provided by city in District 6.

4. Meeting briefly discussed situation of Long Beach DAW Alex Kyrklund whose animal
shelter has been shut down by Long Beach Animal Control and has been arrested by police
and is in jail and without legal representation. Rene Succa-Ruston recommended that Daws contact LA Bar Assn to see about finding volunteer attorney who would be willing to handle DAW
Kyrklund's case pro bono. 

Sun Valley situation involving Coby Siegenthaler was also discussed. We do not
currently have a DAW in Sun Valley. Curt Steidler suggested that Coby take her
problem to LA Housing.

At this point, DAWS Pres. Laws departed meeting to attended Greater Valley
Glen NC meeting and Sherman Oaks DAW Marlene Goodman took over meeting.

5. Marlene Goodman introduced Tarzana DAW Jeff Gross to meeting.
Gross spoke of his plan to establish an Education Committee within the DAWS
that would go into schools and provide children with humane education regarding
animals.

Marlene noted that Sherman Oaks DAW Hollie Dickinson is already going into schools
in Sherman Oaks & Culver City teaching students about animals. She also teaches
at wildlife station.  Adele Langdon Westwood DAW noted that one of her two daughters
has already done a certain amount of teaching to children about animals.

Jeff outlined his goals for setting up an education program in LA City Councils,
called for volunteers from among DAWS. He pushed for an initial meeting to
get the program going.

Cliff Jacobs Van Nuys DAW noted that two members of his NC are teachers and
would support program. Also discussed was the Star Program, an afterschool
enrichment program.

Marlene Goodman spoke of her earlier unsuccessful effort to start an afterschool enrichment program. DAW Gross interrupted to explain that he is "already in the schools" via his job
with Walden Films which has produced such children's films  as "Charlotte's Web."

Curt Steindler praised Star Program, stressed that going through teachers is important.
Steigler noted that LAAS would like to help us with education program but lacks
money. He also felt that lesson plans & making program part of curriculum is
important.

DAW Goodman noted that Calif. state law requires that 30 minutes per month must be set
aside for Humane Education.

Jeff Gross emphasized that a great many Walden Media educational packets were placed
in schools. Many more packets will go out when "Chronicles of Narnia 2" opens
in theatres.  "They're looking for this -- so let's give it to them."

Jeff Gross stressed importance of just plain getting started -- "Let's settle on
a time to meet and form committee and do it soon."  Gross promised to be in
contact with fellow DAWS over next few days to set up meeting.

Scott Sorrentino suggested establishment of a Daws Master Calendar to
eliminate time conflicts and so that everyone will know what's going on.

Missy Woodward stressed importance of DAWS setting a finite set of goals
for the year -- one of which would be education. "What eactly is focus of DAWS going
to be in 2007?"

Woodward also mentioned possibility of "Reseda Rescue Roundup" in coordination
with her NC. She stressed importance of our continuing to work with NC. "What are three
or four main goals DAWS are going to try to accomplish in 2007?"

Robin Siedel spoke of need for funding from NC.

Jeff Gross said he will draw up a budget, get celebrities to participate --
"There are celebrities looking for this kind of oppoprtunity."

Gross noted that he works with corporate sponsors all the time and some of them
(i.e. Coca Cola, Petco) would love to stamp their name on it.

Robin: "I've been trying to get trash cans on Ventura Blvd for a year now..."

Curt Steidler: I can help you to do that. We did it in Venice."

Jeff Gross concluded education topic by saying he would put meeting time on Yahoo
group. Gross also stressed media contacts -- KTLA 10 PM News, for example,
wants to do a piece on the DAWS.

Marlene Goodman spoke of importance of educating public re animal issues
such as stray cats.  Missy Woodward noted that she never misses opportunity to
discuss stray cats at her NC meetings, also microchipping and animal adoptions.

Woodward reiterated  that the executive committee needs to come up with a plan to
push basic set of goals for 2007.

6. Rene Succa-Ruston presented re her work on plan for Disaster Rescue & Evacuation
plan for Los Angeles. Put together a website: evacuatemypet.com. Various icons on website: places you can go in the event of a disaster. They got hotels within a 20 mile area to agree to take owners and their pets. They received endorsement from Red Cross, put out series of public service announcements featuring various celebrities. They also put out flyer and distributed a thousand of them in Spanish & English to all children in district. They put program together in one area so
that area could serve as a model for all the other areas in the city. Their web designer, for
example, can add other communities to website as program expands.

Rene Succa-Ruston: Red Cross is basically in charge during disaster. Well to do people generally
have places to go. We want to make it possible for everyone to be able to do it. Red Cross is very pleased  thus far with results of pilot program. Thousand Oaks is thus far only community to adopt it. We chose Thousand Oaks because most of us live there, also because it's a smaller area -- in
which to set up model plan.

Our goal is to make everyone self-sufficient. We didn't even approach the city of LA with
this plan. We didn't have any interest in dealing with politics of our city. We
avoided that by going directly to our school board, to our Red Cross rep. We
also worked closely with Animal Regulation. They would be helpful with working with
larger animals in the event of disaster in Ventura County. School board in Thousand Oaks
did not want us to include "terrorist attacks" on flyer -- so we didn't.  Key to all this is Red
Cross.

Curt Steindler noted that LAAS Disaster plan is very strong and well thought out.
They will open up shelters, etc. Steidler also advocated working with NC in city of LA.

7. Scott Sorrentino spoke re his separate organization -- Rescue & Humane
Alliance, the result of effort to get various rescue groups to work more
effectively together & in cooperation with city agents.

The organization has huge Valentine's Day (Feb. 10) event planned. All six
shelters will participate. We are going to send teams to various shelters to
help train their workers to participate effectively with event. The event will
be a super adoption event -- the "Pawfect Match." All shelters will be involved
but main involvement will be with the South LA Shelter. We need behavior trainers, also 60 "Matchmakers," actually adoption counselors. This is a very ambitious
plan. Volunteers will have to become LAAS official volunteers.

Two trainings are intended -- one training will be for matchmakers. There
will also be a "Kissing Booth" at which you can get wetly kissed by the dog
on duty. There will also be gift bags.

At our 2005 event, we had 86 animals adopted plus 25 other animals
"intercepted."  A total of 120 adoptions in one day.

The trainings we do now for matchmakers could be the basis for the
shelter committee program in which DAWS serve as adoption counselors
and relinquishment counselors in city shelters.

Sorrentino voiced the opinion that the better adoptions we manage the more
likely the word of mouth will be to get around and push the program ahead. Sorrentino
announced that he wanted to have 100 volunteers working as adoption
counselors by the end of 2007. DAW Cliff Jacobs voiced his support
and announced that he would be happy to join the program,

8. The meeting ended with a tribute by DAW George Shea to animal
rights activist Virgil Butler who died Dec. 15, 2006 in Pine Ridge, AR at
the age of 41. Butler, who had worked for five years for the Tyson company
in its chicken slaughter facilities, became a forceful and eloquent voice
against abuses in the chicken industry. It is anticipated that he will be
honored by various groups and als oat the AR 2007 to be held in Los Angeles
this coming July. PETA has already designated Butler as a "Hero of the Animnal
Rights Movement."

The meeting was adjourned. No date for the next DAWS General Meeting was announced.

George Shea DAWS Sec.