The mature pepper trees chopped down by a private landscaper at East Valley Animal Shelter will be replaced, partially at taxpayers' expense.
While large banners touting shelter pets were being hung on the building Friday, city foresters prepared to dig out as many as 14 stumps by today.
The shade trees, felled last month to show off the new banners, will be replaced by Million Trees Los Angeles, a city initiative paid for by public and private funds.
"We're going to replace exactly what was there," said MTLA Director Lisa Sarno. "We're hoping they'll be planted in the next several days.
"They are large-size trees - not the 5-gallon, or 15-gallon (variety). They will have a visual impact."
Nearly half the trees surrounding the 4-year-old Van Nuys shelter were felled Aug. 20, angering critics and animal care workers who said they provided needed shade and shelter for nesting birds.
The 14 trees were cut down by a landscaper paid for by the Bernheim Foundation of Beverly Hills, which gave $7,000 for billboard-length banners being hung at the East Valley, West Valley and North Central shelters.
The foundation, launched this year by Beverly Hills attorney Steven Jay Bernheim, supports animal welfare causes.
Brenda Barnette, general manager for Los Angeles Animal Services, said the department will pay $1,200 to have the stumps removed by the city Bureau of Street Services Urban Forestry Division.
Advertisement
Million Trees L.A. initiative will pay from $60 to $200 per mature tree, each delivered in a 24-inch box, to replace them, Sarno said.
Since founded five years ago by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the program has planted 300,000 trees.
"Everyone feels terrible," said Barnette in statements to the Daily News. She added "the focus of the signs is to promote adoption and getting animals out of the shelters and into loving homes."
It was unclear whether the unnamed landscaper, who Barnette said was misdirected by a banner graphic designer who said the trees needed to be "cut back," faced fines for destroying city property.
"We plan to look into the facts about what occurred," said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.
Shelter workers praised the decision to restore as many as 14 trees to the $23.2million shelter at 14409 Vanowen St., financed by voter-approved bonds.
"Excellent," said Jake Miller, an animal care technician concerned about the deforestation. "We need those (trees) back.
"We're hoping for shade. When we walk into the community room, it's blazing hot, and the A/C is on full time."