This commentary was contributed by San Benito County resident Ginna Arnold-Lazar. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. Lea este artículo en español aquí. 

I have concerns about how changes as well as the narrative around Hollister Animal Services are being handled.

I attended the recent Hollister City Council meeting, and I left with real concerns about how this process is being run. I want to share what I saw and why it troubles me.

First, some background on who I am. I was a veterinary technician for eight years after graduate school. I run my own business. I founded Babe’s Fund, a nonprofit that raises money solely for Hollister Police and Animal Services to help bridge the gap on medical costs for animals in the city’s care. It is because of the support and intervention received from the shelter by my family after Babe was killed that I am here today. I know this shelter well. I have fostered dogs from it. I have watched this situation unfold from both the inside and the outside.

Here is my main concern: it seems to me that the police and animal services officers are not being included in decisions that affect them, and that the direction of these changes appears to be moving toward removing law enforcement from animal services work.

If the city wants additional support to help clean, feed, and care for the shelter, that could be a good thing. But removing law enforcement from animal services entirely raises real safety questions. Animal calls are not always just about animals. Some involve armed individuals, people in crisis, or dangerous and abused-dog situations. I worry about a volunteer being sent into that kind of call without an officer present. I think the city should think carefully about the liability and safety implications here.

I am also concerned about the lack of transparency. My understanding is that the police prepared a factual timeline and report of these recent and tragic events regarding the euthanasia’s, and that they have been asked not to release it. I have also heard the veterinarian’s report is being withheld, and I have seen that department Facebook posts have gone up and come down quickly. Transparency was mentioned often at the meeting, but from where I sit, that is not what I’m seeing. When information is not shared, speculation tends to fill the gap, and that speculation can be worse than the facts themselves. It creates a narrative of mistrust. 

It is my understanding that the mayor has a dog that has been declared dangerous, and that this has been raised as a potential conflict of interest within the city. I think it would be reasonable for her to consider recusing herself from these discussions, and I would also hope she would support the police being able to speak openly and release their records.

Based on what I have observed, I believe the city manager has played a significant role in directing this process, and I recognize I am working from what I’ve seen and experienced. 

I am also troubled that the officers who run the shelter day to day do not appear to be part of the conversations about restructuring it, and have not had a chance to weigh in or correct the record. It is hard to restructure a department well without input from the people who operate it. There is also an ad hoc group involved that is not clearly defined or easy to join, which adds to my sense that the process feels closed off and city government centric, rather than collaborative.

I have also heard the Helen Ross funds are being discussed, and as a citizen, I would welcome a forensic accounting of that fund so everyone can see clearly how it’s being used. What if anything has been spent, and the current dollar value. The city council expressed the desire to spend these funds now. This was not the intent from what I have read. We as a community should have a clear oversight and designate an appropriate member of the community to be involved. 

To the City Council: I’d encourage you not to rely only on emails and public meetings like this one for information. Consider meeting directly with the police, separate from the mayor and city manager, as well as with the animal services officers and volunteers. Seeking out the information yourselves, rather than waiting for it to be brought to you, may give you a clearer picture.

My hope is that everyone involved gets a chance to speak, that the police are able to share their records and timeline, and that the community can see the full picture and draw its own conclusions.

I’ll be honest that I hesitated to write this. I have some concern about how it might be received. But I believe these are legitimate questions worth asking openly, in the interest of fairness and transparency for everyone in this discussion. 

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