FIRST OFF . . .

Another salvo was fired this week in an increasingly acrimonious dispute over the use of animals in TV and film productions. Larry Brown, president of the Denver-based American Humane Assn., said his organization will not abandon its role as the industry’s animal-welfare watchdog, despite a formal request to do so by general manager Robert Rush of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Regulation. Rush wrote a letter last month to Brown, accusing the humane association of providing “restricted and very limited supervision” of show business animals; of conflict of interest for providing a job referral service for animal trainers, and of falsely claiming that it conducted an “in-depth” investigation into alleged chimpanzee abuse on last year’s film “Project X.” Rush also said the association’s contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, establishing the organization as the industry watchdog, contained “absolutely no provisions to monitor the use of animals to assure humane treatment.” According to Rush, the association hasn’t filed a complaint about animal cruelty in the entertainment business in the 20 years that he’s been with the city’s animal regulation unit. Responded Brown: “We’re vigilant about the kind of care animals receive.”