Betty Cardoni was a prominent figure and advocate for animals’ welfare in Los Angeles from the 1960s until the 1990s. She held esteemed positions including serving as the Executive Director and founder of [Mercy Crusade](https://feldman.labyrinth.garden/s/history-of-laas/page/mercy-crusade), a leading humane organization in the southland. She also served as the Vice Chairman on the Executive Committee of the Bond Fund Campaign [M.13](https://feldman.labyrinth.garden/admin/item/17664).

Through her positions she was able to put animals’ wellbeing at the forefront of her work. For example, she openly supported “Zero Pet Population Growth”, which was a large campaign that aimed to educate the public on reducing the number of breeding animals [M.13](https://feldman.labyrinth.garden/admin/item/17664). In 1968, Betty Cardoni also appeared live on KCOP-TV on Alan Sloane’s show as the Department of Animal Regulation’s guest. The minutes of the Board of Animal Regulation report that she consulted with them about  spaying and neutering programs, and created an ABC (Animal Birth Control) sign (in English and Spanish) [M.13](https://feldman.labyrinth.garden/admin/item/17664).  Furthermore, her advocacy is captured in a report from  June 4th, 1990 in a commission meeting in which the board debated accounting around an “Animal Welfare Trust Fund”  In an apparently ongoing dispute, Pat Barcel  suggested that the fund should be renamed the “Department of Animal Regulation Trust” fund because “there is no one in the world that can tell her that a bunch of chairs are going to benefit animals” Betty stated her disagreement and  explained that “she has seen the dilapidated chairs that were in the spay clinics and in the offices, and she does not think the condition of any of that stuff inspired the confidence of anybody coming into a public facility… you have to have an appearance to go with the services you are providing” [M.19](https://feldman.labyrinth.garden/admin/item/17670).  Her minute attention to a detail  such as the state of the chairs, which she insisted are not very costly, would make a huge impact on the way people feel when they enter the facility. 

Betty Cardoni’s numerous efforts have been greatly appreciated and recognized by the Department of Animal Regulation. In October of 1988, the Department recognized her and awarded her a plaque that reads, " North Central Spay and Neuter Clinic dedicated to Betty Cardoni in Recognition Of High Generosity and Devotion to Animal Welfare October 1988" [E.1.6] (https://feldman.labyrinth.garden/s/history-of-laas/item/17898).

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