By John Di Leonardo
Jain pinjrapoles were the first animal shelters in the world. Dating back 2,500 years, pinjrapoles have treated wild and domestic animals alike, offering medicines, painkillers, hospice, or temporary shelter to animals in need. What was once considered charity however, has in recent years become big business, with some animal shelters commanding multimillion-dollar budgets and lucrative contracts with municipal agencies. When kind people are awarded such contracts, shelter animals can thrive and adoptions can skyrocket, but when the wrong people are awarded such contracts, animals may suffer from cost-cutting or warehousing while being shielded from public scrutiny. One major shelter that is poised to make this grievous error is the Town of Hempstead—the largest township in the United States.
The Town of Hempstead’s relationship with animals at its shelter has been tumultuous. Years ago, it was criticized for euthanizing too many animals. Now having achieve “no-kill” status—meaning it euthanizes less than 10% of the animals who enters its doors—it has been plagued by incidents of animals being sent to disreputable “rescues” where animals have been fitted with electric shock collars or warehoused in cramped and filthy conditions. Apparently looking to offload the shelter—and the scrutiny that comes with animal care—the Town of Hempstead put out a request for proposals to privatize its animal shelter operations earlier this year. The problem is: the only organization that responded with a bid was Goldman Animal Alliance, whose president William Berman is a serial exploiter of animals.
Animal rights activists demonstrate against Goldman Animal Alliance and its president. (Photos provided by John Di Leonardo)
Berman was an early investor and landlord of Larry Wallach's Sloth Encounters, an unlawfully operated wildlife exploitation business that had its storefront shuttered and its federal license cancelled earlier this year after it was cited for dozens of violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including "critical" violations related to lying to federal inspectors about the bite of a child and after an investigation revealed staff hitting sloths and Wallach roughly grabbing a wounded sloth by his head and neck. Wallach is a notorious animal exploiter who for decades has wreaked havoc on animals in Hempstead township, confining lions, tigers, bears, a wallaby, and even a rhinoceros in makeshift enclosures in East Rockaway and neglecting their vital needs and threatening them with electric prods.
Berman is also the founder of Andalusia Animal Adventures, a new exotic animal exploitation business run by wildlife trafficker Shae Hensley who was arrested on 11 charges related to bear trafficking late last year. Pursuant to state records we obtained, Hensley has apparently been found guilty of animal cruelty, fraud, and theft among a host of other criminal charges.
Berman and his associates were additionally expelled from Greater Goods Charities’ Long Island pet rescue bank for fraud after allegedly abusing the rescue bank by acquiring sharply discounted pet food and products meant for charity and apparently selling the products through their Pet Drug Store business.
Privatization with a reputable and experienced organization that has animal care at its forefront can be a positive thing. However, allowing a serial animal exploiter with a documented history of preying on animals and charitable organizations as well as bankruptcies to privatize animal care operations for the largest township in the United States would be a gross misuse of taxpayer monies and endanger countless animals where they are most vulnerable.
For this week’s Anuvrat, I invite readers to contact Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin at [email protected] and urge him to deny Goldman Animal Alliance’s bid to privatize the Hempstead Animal Shelter. Then consider how you can help your local animal shelter by donating, adopting a homeless animal, or volunteering your time or services.
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John Di Leonardo is the founding director of Humane Long Island. He was previously the Senior Manager of Grassroots Campaigns and Animals in Entertainment Campaigns for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). He has a Master's degree in Anthrozoology from Canisius College. He also earned a graduate certificate in Jain Studies from the International School of Jain Studies (ISJS) in India. John can be reached at [email protected].
