Kathryn Destreza:
Her Dedication to Protecting Animals is “Simply Amazing”

Kathryn Destreza, the Director of Humane Law Enforcement for the Louisiana SPCA, received special recognition from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), April 2008, for her selfless dedication in the animal welfare field.

“Kathryn is truly devoted to animal welfare issues,” said Ana Zorrilla, LA/SPCA’s Chief Executive Officer. “One day you may find her working on a dogfighting investigation, and the next day she’s in court seeking justice for an abused animal, and the next day you may find her traveling to another shelter to offer guidance and advice. To have someone like that on our team, and see the energy and passion she brings to the table is simply amazing.”

Destreza was presented with a replica of a vintage ASPCA peace officer badge. Destreza was recognized for her work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and particularly her work over the past two years with the Louisiana Partnership. The Louisiana Partnership is a joint project of the LA/SPCA and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to provide training and operational advice to animal shelters and organizations in southwestern Louisiana, including the St. Bernard Parish Animal Shelter. “Your commitment to seeing our joint efforts in the Parish to fruition are commendable indeed – Henry Bergh [founder of the ASPCA] would have been proud of your extraordinary zeal in providing ‘mercy to animals,’” wrote Ed Sayres, President/CEO of the ASPCA.

The ASPCA and the LA/SPCA, separate and independent organizations, partnered together in April 2007 to assist animal welfare agencies dealing with surpluses of homeless pets by providing financial and human resources to positively impact agency conditions and save rates for animals.

The vintage ASPCA peace officer badge was presented to Destreza as a token of appreciation from the ASPCA for her “dedication to the animals and shelter of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.”

Along with her work in St. Bernard Parish, Destreza and ASPCA’s Kate Pullen have been assisting animal shelters across the state in Caddo, Vermillion, Jefferson, St. John, Plaquemines, Livingston and Lafayette Parishes in Louisiana Partnership projects.

 

Paving a New Road for the LA/SPCA
In the War against Animal Cruelty

December 30, 2005

When Kathryn Destreza steps into her new role as Director of Humane Law Enforcement for the Louisiana SPCA in February 2006, it will represent a significant move for both Destreza and the organization. Currently the LA/SPCA’s Chief Humane Officer, this new position will allow her to focus all of her time tackling the many facets of animal cruelty and addressing them on a statewide level head on. In turn, it will increase the Louisiana SPCA’s visibility, presence and impact on animal welfare issues.

It will mean more dog fighting investigations; addressing cockfighting and encouraging lawmakers to outlaw this cultural, but barbaric sport; helping law enforcement officials recognize signs of animal cruelty; supporting smaller municipalities in their efforts and creating more dialogue and awareness about what constitutes animal cruelty.

For Destreza, it’s a challenge she relishes and for those that have had the opportunity to work with her that’s no surprise. Whether it’s her spiky hair style, her attention to detail, her penchant for punctuality or the higher level of commitment she demands from her staff, Destreza brings a military-style approach to getting the job done. But beyond her style and approach, she’s eager to sink her teeth into her new position because it presents an opportunity to get to the heart of helping animals by effecting change.

Destreza, who’s been with the organization for 14 years, notes the subtle differences between her position as head of animal control and her new position. “Animal control is about day-to-day enforcement, like controlling stray population, rabies check and public safety,” she explains. As Director of Humane Law Enforcement, she hopes to have the opportunity to focus on the bigger picture and serve as a catalyst for improved animal ethics. “Both are about people and animals, but I want to address animal cruelty from a policy level as well by educating the public. Education is the only way to break the chain [of cruelty],” she adds.

Doing something she loves and feels strongly about is another motivating factor for Destreza. “I never did this job for the pay,” she says. Destreza, who grew up in New England, was just shy of 20 when she started at the LA/SPCA as a clinic receptionist, but it wasn’t long before she was drawn to animal control. After never accepting no for an answer, she was finally allowed to enter the ranks. “You get to talk to people and effect change and the quality of life of animals in the city. And you’re not stuck in that building. It was exciting!” The first week remains unforgettable. As a New England transplant she had to adjust to both language and cultural differences. “Southern hospitality is in your face, and New England hospitality is just the opposite. “I was a Yank,” she quips. “They didn’t understand me and I didn’t understand them.” Language was just one of the hurdles. Understanding the street patterns in New Orleans can be challenging for locals, not to mention transplants like Destreza. On one call in her first week she got lost on Pauger Street. For many it would be just one of those things, but for someone like Destreza it was a personal challenge that she had to overcome. She arrived at work the following day at 4:30 a.m. and studied the city maps and street patterns, resolved that she never again get lost in the city.

It was that kind of determination that has stayed with Destreza as she grew with the organization. She asked to head up the kennel department because she felt the LA/SPCA could find a better way to shelter the animals. It was always about their quality of life. She also pushed to have the classification of the workers who cared for the animals daily changed from kennel cleaners to animal care attendants. “They are the core group, they do the hardest work and they carry the weight of the organization. They’re not just picking up poop. The animals are in their care everyday.”

It’s that same passion and belief in how change can be effected to improve the lives of animals that excites her about the future possibilities of directing humane law enforcement. Over the years Destreza has observed both intentional animal cruelty, including those by children, and cruelty attributed to ignorance. She’s also found that you can’t define someone who engages in animal cruelty in a neat box. “It crosses social lines, class lines, and racial lines,” but she also has observed that often times there seems to be a problem in the family unit. “If the child is being abused, so is the family pet; or something is missing in the family unit and the animals suffer.”

She is also eager to return to investigating and rooting out the underground dogfighting world. During Katrina, when the LA/SPCA and many law enforcement agencies were immersed in the disaster rescue work, many assumed that organizations like the LA/SPCA were down for the count in investigating dogfighting. “We’re back,” Destreza says and the energies to tackle this illegal activity or more focused than ever.

One of the high profile dogfighting cases that Destreza and the LA/SPCA met head on was the Floyd Boudreaux case. Alleged as the “godfather of dogfighting” Boudreaux is now facing federal and state felony charges in a case that has yet to go to trial. The bust resulted from several months investigation headed by the Louisiana State Police and assisted by the LA/SPCA and other law enforcement agencies.

Even as Hurricane Katrina barreled toward New Orleans and the LA/SPCA was evacuating 263 animals, Destreza had the focus and foresight to make sure all the LA/SPCA evidence material in the Boudreaux case was also evacuated.

It’s that kind of focus Destreza has on animal cruelty cases and seeing them all the way to the persecution level that will make an impact in stopping cruel and vicious activity. “There needs to be an animal welfare group that can step up to the plate and take the lead in the State to help the police and other municipalities,” says Destreza. “That’s what we’re going to do.”