Whistleblower Accuses Oakland Animal Shelter of Systemic Abuse

“I just couldn’t be part of that anymore,” said Lori Barnabe, a veterinary technician and animal control officer with Oakland from 1999 through 2004. Barnabe, who now works for an animal hospital in Alameda, detailed her concerns about shelter management to Oakland officials last month in a five-page letter obtained by the Daily Planet.

“We’re taking these charges very seriously,” said Oakland Deputy City Administrator Niccolo De Luca. He said Oakland Police, which run the shelter, were investigating Barnabe’s accusations and that the city administrator’s office would now take an active role in selecting the shelter’s next director. Last June, former Director Glenn Howell resigned to become Director of Animal Control Services for Contra Costa County.

In response to the allegations, and the ongoing search for a permanent replacement to Howell, Oakland councilmembers Jane Brunner and Ignacio De La Fuente have called a town-hall meeting Thursday, Feb. 17.

“We don’t have answers yet, but from what we have seen already in my opinion seems serious and needs serious investigation,” Brunner said.

Oakland Police and shelter officials did not return phone calls for this story, but are expected to attend the meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. at Oakland City Hall.

In addition to questioning the shelter’s euthanasia practices, Barnabe accused shelter brass of altering critical computer records to hide illegal euthanasias, holding dogs in kennels for cruel lengths of time, violating the rights of residents to retrieve their dogs, releasing stray dogs back to owners unneutered, failing to provide shelter workers with safety gloves, and overall neglect often resulting in unintended animal cruelty.

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