The Humane Society of the United States estimates that three to four million pets are euthanized by shelters each year. Los Angeles is currently contributing around 20,000 pets to that number for the last few years, many of whom are euthanized simply due to lack of space.
With L.A.’s animal euthanasia rates rising after years of decline, the city’s plans to make L.A. area shelters no-kill have been seriously derailed.
A mandatory spay/neuter ordinance, the tepid economy and a proposed $1.8 million budget reduction which will more than double euthanasia rates might be to blame.
With Brenda Barnette confirmed as the new head of the department earlier this year, can the department overcome hurdles to reduce euthanasia rates and subsequently turn L.A. in a no-kill city?
What is deterring the department from providing education and training to reach and service more of L.A.’s residents? With a $20 million budget under its belt, why isn’t there more being done by the LAAS to align with advocates and veterinarians to help curb the killings?
For some animal advocates the staggering euthanasia rates are linked to the city's mandatory spay/neuter ordinance passed in early 2008, who argue that among other things, that mandatory spay/neuter laws target low-income residents who don’t spay or neuter their pets because they can’t afford to do so.
The ordinance requires owners to spay and neuter their dogs and cats four months of age or older, with a few exceptions, including those animals that compete in shows, service dogs or those suffering poor health. Failing to do so results in fines, community service and even criminal misdemeanor charges.
The assistance to low-income residents has dramatically decreased. A plan to open six new spay and neuter clinics by the end of 2009 hasn’t come to fruition – only three have opened with 2010 almost over.
In addition, many veterinary clinics have started to refuse low-cost vouchers citing the hundreds of thousands in backlogged payments LAAS hasn’t made to them, as reported by the Los Angeles Daily News.
While LAAS struggles to achieving no-kill goals and more animals die because of lack of space, a determined breed of activists are taking the matter into their own hands.
Groups like the Angels for Animals Network, an all-Facebook based advocacy group with over 10,000 fans, have been putting faces behind animal impound ID’s and using social media to save dogs and cats from being put down and placing them into loving homes.
What kind of impact are these organizations making? Furthermore, are passionate volunteers the answer to solving L.A.’s animal euthanasia rates?
This reporting will help by examining L.A's so far failed attempts at eliminating or minimizing euthanasia rates and the mandatory spay and neuter ordinance that many claim has led to animals being put down in L.A. shelters each year.
In addition to perhaps giving a voice to the voiceless cats and dogs of this city,it will also try to dissect the reasons why no-kill goals have not progressed by analyzing legislation and the reasonings behind them as well as highlight the pet owner side of the puzzle: while cities in L.A. County have outlawed pet sales in stores, what are the underlying reasons that many pet owners continue to buy dogs and cats for thousands of dollars many of which come from puppymills, while not considering shelter pets as options, a move that would also create space for shelters and could contribute to decreasing euthanasia rates.
It will also outline the possibilities of L.A. becoming a no-kill city and shed light on the dedicated volunteers who are working to make that happen.
