After a 9 months search to hire a new executive director, the Department of Health hired Ms. Charlene Pedrolie, a nationally-recognized business consultant with NOT a shred of sheltering or animal medical experience.
Within weeks, 3 veterinarians and several vet techs resigned because of her misguided change of protocols. To add fuel to the soon to be raging fire, Ms. Pedrolie fired a vet tech. Last week I was told by an insider that many of this medical team who resigned were bribed into returning with offers of large pay raises at a huge cost to this already grotesquely under funded system that euthanized 20397 dogs and cats in 2006. Since Ms. Pedrolie's arrival more than 13 people have resigned and many are looking for new jobs.
An enormous turnover of staff. The core of what was a decent organization.
The resignations came from:
Liz Keller Director of Operations Dr. Cruse, DVM Dr. Demmerli, DVM Dr. Opperman, DVM Dennis Owen Behavior Katie Dawson New Hope Coordinator Peg Guilotta Christine Torezz Maria Onorato Jenny Temba Charney Fayer Lisa Boden Mark Halvorsen
This massive kill shelter system with a yearly intake of more than 44,000 animals is now under the control of a woman who's egregious errors in judgment have thrown the system into chaos. ie. Euthanasia which was normally done in the morning, was now directed by the corporate-saving business woman to be done at night with skeleton crews on hand. Fortunately, this was reversed. In another cost saving measure the administration of antibiotics to prevent upper respiratory infections was discontinued. Ms. Pedrolie was warned by the Cornell Institute that this program's demise would be very bad for the animals but she ignored them. And now the animals are sicker then ever. Which puts them on the euthanasia list. Of course their numbers don't show up as euthanasia because the shelter "rarely" puts down adoptable animals. Sick animals are not considered adoptable.
But this was not enough damage for Ms. Pedrolie and the Department of Health.
A few weeks after she arrived, 7 major NYC rescuers and groups were banned from pulling animals from the shelter as partners of the New Hope Program. The animals these hard working people pull are the larger or older dogs, many Pit Bulls, Pit mixes and shepherds, the animals at the most at risk of euthanasia.
My name is Laurie Bleier and I am the director of the Brooklyn Animal Foster Network. My group is one of those now banned. In two years we removed more than 1,000 animals from NYCACC as New Hope Partners and through our Care-A-Van adoption events with State Senator Erik Addams.
Every weekend Spring Summer and Fall you could see us on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope with 15 or more animals we just picked up from the shelter on Linden Blvd. My group would stay until every one of those homeless dogs, cats, puppies or kittens found safe homes. It was extremely rare that anyone went back to the shelter. And if one did we put a hold on the animal and pulled him/her a day or two later.
Ms. Pedrolie told me that my group was banned because one of my dogs in foster care was found to be emaciated. After a thorough investigation by the ASPCA%u2019s Humane Law Enforcement those charges were found to be baseless and the case was dropped. You can call Joe Pentangelo at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4450 for confirmation of this.
Just as a reporter for a major ny newspaper now working on this story did.
Now 9 weeks after our exoneration we still cannot pull from the shelters. She refuses to give us back our New Hope status. http://nycacc.org/newhope.htm We have 33 new applications to foster and we have no animals to deliver to them. MANY MANY dogs and cats are needlessly being put down because 7 rescuers are being unjustly prevented from doing what they have been doing for years. And doing it quite successfully.
Where is the due process in my case? No response to letters written to the board members.
Lastly, in the last two years my company, Brainstorm LLC redesigned the nycacc.org website pro bono. The website which could not be found on google searches a year ago now gets more than 4 million hits a month. Brainstorm produced countless fliers, e-blasts and posters for NYCACC. All pro bono. I tell the Board of Health, the board members of nycacc and Charlene Pedrolie -- if this is how you treat your allies I shudder to think how you treat your enemies.
The famous journalist H. L. Mencken once wrote that the job of any good journalist is to "afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted." That being said this letter and the postings I see at Craigslist today are going out to every media outlet in the boroughs.
I ask you good people of NYC, what happened to the NO-KILL MANDATE of NYC? PLEASE call Charlene Pedrolie on her direct line and demand the rescuers and groups who have been suspended from the New Hope Program be reinstated.
The only thing I left out of my original diatribe regarding Ms. Pedrolie was how severely callous she was to the needs of her employees and how mean spirited she was to the factory employees. All her meetings were behind closed doors with no witnesses to what would transpire behind those doors. The collective interviews of employees who had such meetings with her all told the same stories of rude "God complex" behavior, threats to their continued employment if they failed to "buy in" to her plans and assurances that they would "tow the line" or else and that they would not "publicly" discuss ANY perceived thoughts or concerns about why her plans were not feasible.
She instilled such a hatred and such low morale amongst employees that they sabotaged product quality hoping that Pedrolie would ultimately be held responsible for tripling of customer service costs to correct quality issues with the consumer. One angry employee returned to the factory after hours and doused the central corridor of the business offices with gasoline and set the factory ablaze. The company's CFO was working late and would have died in that fire had the sprinkler system not extinguished the blaze along with the help of the fire department. Needless to say computer systems for accounts payable, accounts receivable, and new order processing were ruined. The factory was completely shut down for almost two weeks and the business interruption expenses were astronomical. The unusual and severe events ceased the moment Charlene Pedrolie left the company.
I assume she is now working with the City of New York because her "consulting" business was not a raging success as a self-employed venture for Ms. Pedrolie.
In my previous email to you I told you about %u201Cblack Friday%u201D when Ms. Pedrolie fired every senior manager of every department in the factory. This included the head of distribution and transportation, the plant manager, the manager of the frame building factory, the head of customer service, and all department heads throughout the manufacturing complex such as manager of sewing, manager of supply in process, manager of upholstery assembly, manager of quality inspection, manager of wood finishing. She attempted to put new people in jobs that required a varied amount of skill sets, most important of which was people skills. The most difficult aspect of managing %u201Cblue collar%u201D labor in a tight labor market is keeping the worker motivated and satisfied to continue working at my factory instead of any one of the many other industries in our area. She failed to recognize the importance of our people on every level.
FROM A CONCERNED SHELTER EMPLOYEE
From: Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:28:57 -0500 To: Laurie Bleier <lbleier@nyc.rr.com> Subject: RE: PLEASE READ: IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO ADOPT A DOG, I CAN HELP!!!
HI Laurie, thanks for your email!
I just wanted to say hello as I know BAFN quite well. I know that your group pulls death row dogs constantly from the Brooklyn ACC.
The rescue suspensions in Manhattan are out of control (there are virtually NO groups pulling pits at this time) and as you probably know the euth lists just keep growing daily. The last I heard from {Name Removed} your group was going through some difficulties as well. You would think that the ACC would make better efforts to build stronger relationships with the rescue groups but it appears to be the opposite in effect. It's very very unfortunate.
I wish you all the best and thank you for the amazing work that you do!!
Warmest regards,
{Name removed for privacy}
After a 9 months search to hire a new executive director, the Department of Health hired Ms. Charlene Pedrolie, a nationally-recognized business consultant with NOT a shred of sheltering or animal medical experience.
Within weeks, 3 veterinarians and several vet techs resigned because of her misguided change of protocols. To add fuel to the soon to be raging fire, Ms. Pedrolie fired a vet tech. Last week I was told by an insider that many of this medical team who resigned were bribed into returning with offers of large pay raises at a huge cost to this already grotesquely under funded system that euthanized 20397 dogs and cats in 2006. Since Ms. Pedrolie's arrival more than 13 people have resigned and many are looking for new jobs.
An enormous turnover of staff. The core of what was a decent organization.
The resignations came from:
Liz Keller Director of Operations Dr. Cruse, DVM Dr. Demmerli, DVM Dr. Opperman, DVM Dennis Owen Behavior Katie Dawson New Hope Coordinator Peg Guilotta Christine Torezz Maria Onorato Jenny Temba Charney Fayer Lisa Boden Mark Halvorsen
This massive kill shelter system with a yearly intake of more than 44,000 animals is now under the control of a woman who's egregious errors in judgment have thrown the system into chaos. ie. Euthanasia which was normally done in the morning, was now directed by the corporate-saving business woman to be done at night with skeleton crews on hand. Fortunately, this was reversed. In another cost saving measure the administration of antibiotics to prevent upper respiratory infections was discontinued. Ms. Pedrolie was warned by the Cornell Institute that this program's demise would be very bad for the animals but she ignored them. And now the animals are sicker then ever. Which puts them on the euthanasia list. Of course their numbers don't show up as euthanasia because the shelter "rarely" puts down adoptable animals. Sick animals are not considered adoptable.
But this was not enough damage for Ms. Pedrolie and the Department of Health.
A few weeks after she arrived, 7 major NYC rescuers and groups were banned from pulling animals from the shelter as partners of the New Hope Program. The animals these hard working people pull are the larger or older dogs, many Pit Bulls, Pit mixes and shepherds, the animals at the most at risk of euthanasia.
My name is Laurie Bleier and I am the director of the Brooklyn Animal Foster Network. My group is one of those now banned. In two years we removed more than 1,000 animals from NYCACC as New Hope Partners and through our Care-A-Van adoption events with State Senator Erik Addams.
Every weekend Spring Summer and Fall you could see us on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope with 15 or more animals we just picked up from the shelter on Linden Blvd. My group would stay until every one of those homeless dogs, cats, puppies or kittens found safe homes. It was extremely rare that anyone went back to the shelter. And if one did we put a hold on the animal and pulled him/her a day or two later.
Ms. Pedrolie told me that my group was banned because one of my dogs in foster care was found to be emaciated. After a thorough investigation by the ASPCA%u2019s Humane Law Enforcement those charges were found to be baseless and the case was dropped. You can call Joe Pentangelo at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4450 for confirmation of this.
Just as a reporter for a major ny newspaper now working on this story did.
Now 9 weeks after our exoneration we still cannot pull from the shelters. She refuses to give us back our New Hope status. http://nycacc.org/newhope.htm We have 33 new applications to foster and we have no animals to deliver to them. MANY MANY dogs and cats are needlessly being put down because 7 rescuers are being unjustly prevented from doing what they have been doing for years. And doing it quite successfully.
Where is the due process in my case? No response to letters written to the board members.
Lastly, in the last two years my company, Brainstorm LLC redesigned the nycacc.org website pro bono. The website which could not be found on google searches a year ago now gets more than 4 million hits a month. Brainstorm produced countless fliers, e-blasts and posters for NYCACC. All pro bono. I tell the Board of Health, the board members of nycacc and Charlene Pedrolie -- if this is how you treat your allies I shudder to think how you treat your enemies.
The famous journalist H. L. Mencken once wrote that the job of any good journalist is to "afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted." That being said this letter and the postings I see at Craigslist today are going out to every media outlet in the boroughs.
I ask you good people of NYC, what happened to the NO-KILL MANDATE of NYC? PLEASE call Charlene Pedrolie on her direct line and demand the rescuers and groups who have been suspended from the New Hope Program be reinstated.
The only thing I left out of my original diatribe regarding Ms. Pedrolie was how severely callous she was to the needs of her employees and how mean spirited she was to the factory employees. All her meetings were behind closed doors with no witnesses to what would transpire behind those doors. The collective interviews of employees who had such meetings with her all told the same stories of rude "God complex" behavior, threats to their continued employment if they failed to "buy in" to her plans and assurances that they would "tow the line" or else and that they would not "publicly" discuss ANY perceived thoughts or concerns about why her plans were not feasible.
She instilled such a hatred and such low morale amongst employees that they sabotaged product quality hoping that Pedrolie would ultimately be held responsible for tripling of customer service costs to correct quality issues with the consumer. One angry employee returned to the factory after hours and doused the central corridor of the business offices with gasoline and set the factory ablaze. The company's CFO was working late and would have died in that fire had the sprinkler system not extinguished the blaze along with the help of the fire department. Needless to say computer systems for accounts payable, accounts receivable, and new order processing were ruined. The factory was completely shut down for almost two weeks and the business interruption expenses were astronomical. The unusual and severe events ceased the moment Charlene Pedrolie left the company.
I assume she is now working with the City of New York because her "consulting" business was not a raging success as a self-employed venture for Ms. Pedrolie.
In my previous email to you I told you about %u201Cblack Friday%u201D when Ms. Pedrolie fired every senior manager of every department in the factory. This included the head of distribution and transportation, the plant manager, the manager of the frame building factory, the head of customer service, and all department heads throughout the manufacturing complex such as manager of sewing, manager of supply in process, manager of upholstery assembly, manager of quality inspection, manager of wood finishing. She attempted to put new people in jobs that required a varied amount of skill sets, most important of which was people skills. The most difficult aspect of managing %u201Cblue collar%u201D labor in a tight labor market is keeping the worker motivated and satisfied to continue working at my factory instead of any one of the many other industries in our area. She failed to recognize the importance of our people on every level.
FROM A CONCERNED SHELTER EMPLOYEE
From: Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:28:57 -0500 To: Laurie Bleier <lbleier@nyc.rr.com> Subject: RE: PLEASE READ: IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO ADOPT A DOG, I CAN HELP!!!
HI Laurie, thanks for your email!
I just wanted to say hello as I know BAFN quite well. I know that your group pulls death row dogs constantly from the Brooklyn ACC.
The rescue suspensions in Manhattan are out of control (there are virtually NO groups pulling pits at this time) and as you probably know the euth lists just keep growing daily. The last I heard from {Name Removed} your group was going through some difficulties as well. You would think that the ACC would make better efforts to build stronger relationships with the rescue groups but it appears to be the opposite in effect. It's very very unfortunate.
I wish you all the best and thank you for the amazing work that you do!!
Warmest regards,
{Name removed for privacy}
We the undersigned feel that you are not qualified for the position you have and you do not understand what these animals need or how to provide for their needs. Many animals (healthy and sick) have been killed under your "watch" and there was just no cause for it. Several good, caring, hard working animal lovers have either had to resign or have been fired by yourself due to your "working conditions". We believe that YOUR time is up and this would be a good time for you to submit your resignation. Thank you for taking time to read this letter.
We signed the "HELP GET CHARLENE PEDROLIE OUT OF THE NYCACC AS ANIMALS NEEDLESSLY DIE." petition!
# 2,236:
5:38 pm PDT, Aug 19,Name not displayed, New York
I adopted my dog form the NYCACC in May and can't begin to describe how much he means to me. While I hold nothing but admiration for the efforts of the shelter staff and volunteers, I also ask shelter management to reinstate the status of the 7 rescue groups banned from taking animals.
Please remember that the primary mission (or what should be the primary mission) of the shelter is to SAVE animal lives not end them unnecessarily.
# 2,235:
4:57 pm PDT, Aug 19,Melissa Liptak, New York
It's outrageous given the mayor's mandate that this type of behavior continues.
# 2,234:
4:41 am PDT, Aug 19,David Rick, New York
# 2,233:
11:21 pm PDT, Aug 18,Susan Halloran, Virginia
# 2,232:
12:47 pm PDT, Aug 18,Tracy Cowan, New York
# 2,231:
9:44 am PDT, Aug 18,Helena Sousa, Portugal
# 2,230:
7:03 am PDT, Aug 18,Kitty Maliniak, New York
# 2,229:
7:00 am PDT, Aug 18,Luis Ghigliotty, New York
I can't believe that the city of NY is allowing this to continue. From what I have read so far, this woman needs to be fired immediately!!! Dogs are mans best friend. They are THE most loyal and forgiving animals in the world. Please do not let this woman keep abusing her powers.
# 2,228:
5:15 am PDT, Aug 18,Lorraine Kay, United Kingdom
# 2,227:
5:07 am PDT, Aug 18,Erin Cahill, New York
It is horrific that the city would appoint such a heartless director.
# 2,226:
8:37 pm PDT, Aug 17,Gail Clark, New York
This is a very bad situation that needs to be remedied...quickly. Innocent animals are dying because there seems to be a serious lack of compassion on the part of the director, Charlene Pedrolie, both for people and the animals in her "care". Considering the number of resignations, there is more than a speck of truth to this petition. There is a high rate of burnout among shelter workers due to the strong emotional aspect of this type of job; they require support and understading from their superiors, not a fearful environment. This doesn't help the animals or the staff. Surely there is some kind, knowledgeable person more appropriate for this position. Perhaps Ms.Pedrole should consider a career in the military...IF they would have her.
# 2,225:
5:28 pm PDT, Aug 17,Kellie Altieri, New Jersey
# 2,224:
3:19 pm PDT, Aug 17,Name not displayed, New York
I strongly urge AC&C and the New York State governmen tto remove this person from her position so she can do no more harm to New York's animals.
# 2,223:
8:50 am PDT, Aug 17,Name not displayed, New York
# 2,222:
8:30 am PDT, Aug 17,Joan Cenicola, New Jersey
Someone needs to step in and get this horrific situation under control! Lives are at stake.
# 2,221:
7:00 am PDT, Aug 17,Emilie Gruchow, New York
# 2,220:
7:53 pm PDT, Aug 16,Angela Cash, Florida
# 2,219:
6:31 pm PDT, Aug 16,Angela Cheong, New York
Charlene Pedrolie is being ignorant. Her lack of concern for others and desire for power and profit is creating unnecessary unemployment of innocent humans and unnecessary euthanasia of innocent animals. Money is supposed to be utilized to further enhance several aspects of life, not destroy it. Pedrolie is aiming at the wrong direction.
# 2,218:
3:29 pm PDT, Aug 16,Carol Schneider, Pennsylvania
This is outrageous and unacceptable. This woman must be let go.
# 2,217:
1:46 pm PDT, Aug 16,Elizabeth Rogers, Connecticut
How many more will have to die????? before she's gone????
# 2,216:
1:35 pm PDT, Aug 16,Christina Garcia, Pennsylvania
A person like this should not determine the fate of the city's furry angels.
# 2,215:
12:33 pm PDT, Aug 16,Karen Petersen, New York
# 2,214:
11:24 am PDT, Aug 16,Sharee Scadron, Pennsylvania
people like this are a disgrace to the human race.....she needs to be taken out...and u can take that any way u wanna .....
# 2,213:
11:16 am PDT, Aug 16,Angela Rhodes, Greece
# 2,212:
10:09 am PDT, Aug 16,Marlena Nadler, New York
# 2,211:
10:01 am PDT, Aug 16,Lovelynn Gwinn, New York
I found a kitten in front of my home and started to take her there, but after reading about this. I can't. Now what do I do, I already have 3 cats and a dog.
# 2,210:
9:45 am PDT, Aug 16,Name not displayed, New York
Please stop the useless killing of helpless animals.
# 2,209:
9:22 am PDT, Aug 16,Lorraine Flynn, New York
If a fraction of what I have read is happening at the city shelters is true, its beyond appalling. Someone needs to be held accountable and answer the publics questions on city polcies as regards euthenasia and on the general operations and conditions at the shelter. By the why don't we have a shelter in Queens?
# 2,208:
9:17 am PDT, Aug 16,Carin Van der Donk, New York
# 2,207:
8:32 am PDT, Aug 16,Joann Killion, New Jersey
There is no question that Ms. Pedrolie must be removed from her position. As long as there are rescues willing to help, she should be willing to work with them. If not, GET RID OF HER !
# 2,206:
6:25 am PDT, Aug 16,Val Blaise, New York
I adopted a dog 2 years ago that was pulled off the euth list at the CACC by a rescue organization that had been placed in foster care. She is a Chow Chow which is a breed that is so misunderstood and labeled as aggressive. My dog is wonderful, she has NO aggressive tendencies whatsoever and she is my best friend. During the time she was sheltered she passes most of her temperament testing but there was still the usual comments regarding her fears. She has never even growled since I have her.
Too many Chows are put down due to the misunderstanding of the very different kind of behavior they display when in the stress induced environment of a city shelter. These are very loyal and cautious dogs, and are not vicious biters as they are so wrongly labeled. I know that now under the new shelter administration too many of these wonderful dogs will die due to the predjudices against the breed. Dogs are getting sick in shelters and then are considered not adoptable, as well as cats. They deserve better than this and deserve someone who cares for animals, not a business person.
I support the petition for the removal of Charlene Pedrolie.
# 2,205:
6:19 am PDT, Aug 16,Name not displayed, New York
# 2,204:
6:08 am PDT, Aug 16,Rachel Weinstein, New York
# 2,203:
9:40 pm PDT, Aug 15,Barbara Mazzarella, New York
It is time for Charlene Pedrolie to GO!!!! I am outraged and frustrated that my tax dollars are still being used to pay the salary of this Nazi butcher of homeless NYC animals.
# 2,202:
9:30 pm PDT, Aug 15,Jodi Blanco, Connecticut
I have read many posting on a site affiliated with homeless animals in my endless search for a homeless dog or puppy. This person/persons should resign from the position, and feel it is inhumane that she is in charge of all these homeless helpless animals that could be given a chance of hope and a forever home with love and familys...there are so many people trying to adopt and rehome animals now and they need our help. They dont deserve to be locked away in some cage/shelter or any inhumane manner or die on death row. There are so many rescue workers that find fosters, and familys with love to give these homeless animals, of which they make the best pets. They realize what they have lost and are so open hearted to be with a new life and new hope, with no medical or vet or rescue option from this shelter how can they even survive??? ..when they could have a chance at a good forever life. Its so unjustly what this woman is doing to all these animals. COME ON NY >...You have to show the highest standard here and stop animal cruelty and NO KILL SHELTERS TO ALL HOMELESS pets. Give the NEW HOPE as they call it, a chance to work and let them expedite these rescue workers in to clean the cages free of homeless animals NOW!!!! Please make this person resign and have someone whom will take the leash and show compassion and get these animals rescued and into their forever homes. How is it one person can reside in such a position and decide..you live or you die today??????? I wish I could adopt them all myself. If I had the money and place I would in a heartbeat and god willing someday maybe he will grant me the power to do this. True Animal Lover in CT. I wish I could join in the rescue of all these animals as well. HELP!!! STOP THE KILL SHELTERS EVERYWHERE.
# 2,201:
8:28 pm PDT, Aug 15,Jerusha Ahong, New York
I have adopted two kittens from the NYCACC. As of last year September, I thought the staff was great. It was so enjoyable there that I would have visited atleast once a week. My fiance and I knew that some dogs, especially the bigger ones, would have not been adopted so we would go walk them on the top roof. And believe me, we weren't the only ones. I met a guy who would come there during his lunch break sometimes to do the same. We accepted that all the animals won't be adopted, but when they changed around the arrangements of how the clinic was set up, it was most disappointing! They moved down the adopted animals to a tiny tiny space downstairs behind the desk. There was less than a quarter number of animals available for viewing and adopting. It was so horrible, while waiting to go into the cramed room, people in line would complain of how horrible it was as well. It definitely turned away many people from the clinic...ALOT!!! I just don't understand. Why would they decrease these animals space for adoption!? There are sooo many stray cats and dogs out there who deserves good homes! We must do something. Just this week, I had a kitten outside my building playing by the rubbish bins. I wanted to take him into a shelter but I called about 6 different shelters and they were simply too full. We must do something to change situations like this one. Support the changes for the betterment of these animals.
