Caster forced out

“DIRECTOR RESIGNS Post at Animal Welfare Department,” by Colleen Heild in Wednesday’s paper, was a disappointment. Paul Caster did not “leave” his job at Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare agency. He was told to step down by the new mayor of Albuquerque, Tim Keller. …

Caster tried to encourage agency employees to improve, learn and train in updated methods of animal welfare. He was stymied by union issues and some workers who wanted to maintain a low status quo. Employee resistance to better practices required strong leadership.

During his two years, Caster achieved ASPCA funding for behavior team and training, partnership with rescues for transfers, and grants for outreach. This included community education, spay/neuter vouchers, vaccine and microchip clinics, and training for kennel and front end staff to identify and address illness and behavior issues before animals were released to the public. He secured ASPCA funding for adoption counselor training and staff positions.

As for the denigration of Debbie Brinkley, she ran DMK re-homing in Colorado, focusing on cattle dogs. She has always been a friend to rescue, and targeting her for criticism is just more of the same dismal behavior that keeps improvements at bay.

The city statistics of animals euthanized reflect more about our community than the animal shelter. The political will for mandatory and financially supported spay/neuter statewide is grievously lacking. We need more programs focused on educating adopters and taking more time to make “best match” placements. This would reduce many of the problems we have seen with dogs adopted into the community.

We want to see the good work Paul started continue with a qualified director. Not someone who is being appointed to the position as a quid pro quo.