There are too many dogs and cats without homes in Los Angeles; the number of pets received in shelters is far too high compared to the number that are adopted.
Research
According to The County of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control, between July 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019, there were 4,235 cats and 3,855 dogs were adopted in all shelters. However, in comparison, 5,071 cats and 742 dogs were euthanized. This means of all incoming animals, 51% were adopted while 40% were euthanized. It is still an increasingly high number of animals despite efforts to reduce the amount of animal incomes. Of animal incomes, 78% of these animals were strays, while only 20% were owner surrenders. The rest are either seized animals taken into custody or other cases.
Alternatively, the Los Angeles Animal Services reported that in the year 2018, there were 10,953 cats and 23,688 dogs impounded. In contrast, during the same year, there were 10,479 and 21,182 dogs determined as a live release (this is defined as animals that were either adopted, fostered, reunited with former owners, etc). That means that 83.60% of cats and 93.36% of dogs were saved.
Personal
All of the pets I have ever owned were rescue animals. Specifically, one of my dogs was at risk of being euthanized, and if it were not for my family adopting her, she would’ve been another statistic. She was adopted when she was only 6 months old, and this year, she reached 16 years old. She has touched our lives and have changed it in a way that would not be possible if she had been euthanized. I sometimes think of the thousands of animals that lose their lives, not because they are not adoptable, but merely because there isn’t enough demand or enough resources to give them homes. I think this is an issue that needs to be fixed.
Members of the Community
I surveyed community members at the Pasadena Off-Leash Dog Park at 3026 E Orange Grove on October 27, 2019. All community members surveyed agreed that the stray and homeless pet population in Los Angeles is a problem that needs to be addressed. Four people consented to having their photo taken, however every person surveyed (approximately 10) all agreed they believed it was an issue, even if they did not wish to participate in the photo portion of the project.
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| Chris Menesis |
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| Ruth Mercado |
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| Kirk Ly |
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| Janet Morris |
Sources
- The County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care. County of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control All Animal Care Centers, 2019, The County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care, https://animalcare.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/LiveandNonLiveReleaseCurrentYearPDF.pdf.
- “LA Animal Serivces.” LA Animal Serivces, Department of Animal Services, Dec. 2018, https://www. https://www.laanimalservices.com/pdf/reports/Woof%20Stat%20Dec%202018.pdf.com/pdf/reports/Woof%20Stat%20Dec%202018.pdf.
- “Pet Overpopulation.” SPCA LA, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles, https://spcala.com/resources/pet-library/general-articles/pet-overpopulation/.
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