Calling animal control seeking a welfare check and perhaps enforcement in the case of suspected neglect or cruelty rarely seems to get the desired result. People tell me they call and complain and nothing, or very little, happens.

This is not always -- or even mostly -- the fault of the animal control officer (ACO).

In this podcast, Shirley Zindler, co-founder of Sonoma county's respected Dogwood Animal Rescue Project, and a former long-time ACO, talks about the enforcement problems both would-be rescuers and ACOs face.

Note that the echo on Shirley goes away about two-and-a-half minutes into the podcast.