LA’s board of animal commissioners to elect new president

The Board of Animal Commissioners will meet today to select a new president following the departure of James Johnson after one meeting.

The board — which sets policy and conducts oversight of Los Angeles Animal Services — has three seats filled of five following the departure of Johnson, who replaced Larry Gross as board president, who retired in July. The Los Angeles City Council is expected to confirm the reappointment of Alison McBeth-Featherstone to the commission for another term through June 2029 as part of its Tuesday meeting.

Mayor Karen Bass’ office and City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, who chairs the council’s Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee, have not provided further details related to Johnson’s departure nor General Manager Staycee Dains’, who is on a two-month leave of absence.

Bass has the power to nominate individuals to serve on city commissions, who are then confirmed by the City Council.

The mayor’s office has previously referred questions about the status of Dains and Johnson to a memo from acting General Manager Annette Ramirez, which provided minor insight into the situation.

Ramirez previously led the department on an interim basis for a year and half prior Dains’ appointment as the general manager last year.

Dains, who formerly led Long Beach’s animal services department, did not respond to attempts to reach her for comment as of Monday evening.

Johnson was appointed to the board by Bass in 2023, and was elected its president by the board July 9 after Gross announced his voluntary departure.

The first meeting chaired by Johnson on July 23 was rocky, as Johnson clashed with a member of the public who criticized Dains, and made a failed attempt to pass a $25,000 contract for “safety and engagement” services, then offered to raise the funds himself after commissioners opposed the effort.

The shakeups come as the shelters continue to suffer a worsening overpopulation crisis, with too many unwanted animals and not enough space, staff members, volunteers or adopters. According to the LAAS website, 1,385 dogs were in the city’s six shelters as of Monday, far over the capacity of 737.