Shelter workers say pets will suffer if jobs are cut

Although Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa planned to cut 767 jobs this year, the shelter workers may end up being the only people to lose jobs at City Hall. In other departments, workers whose jobs were eliminated could be moved to other departments where their skills could be used. But animal care technicians have unique skills that are not transferable. Not that any want transfers.

Curiously, the fate of the shelter workers now may be tied to trash bin fees. Councilman Richard Alarcon discovered that the city was not collecting fees it was owed by many residents with extra trash bins -- or extra large ones. City staffers calculated that an estimated $8.5 million is going uncollected from residents that the city had neglected to bill. The residents have all been contacted by letter, and in six weeks, more than 66,000 of them will find an extra monthly charge on their bills.

"I have two dogs," said Alex Helou, assistant director of the Bureau of Sanitation. "We feel for these workers. But we can't promise the money until it comes in."

Council members couldn't make any promises either.

"You've got my support," Councilman Bill Rosendahl told the shelter workers. "But we don't know how much money we're going to take in in this strategy."

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carla.hall@latimes.com

Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.