A $14 million plan is set to revamp LA’s animal shelters and boost adoptions
On April 20, the ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Society announced a multi-year $14 million investment with hopes to transform Los Angeles Animal Services and give it a much-needed glow-up. This program is expected to last around three years.
The effort of this initiative focuses primarily on improving in-shelter care, increasing fostering and adoption, and reducing shelter intake overall. The funding will include over 23 new full-time staff positions. L.A. Animal Services currently has six shelters that hold about 50,000 animals per year.
Within each year, there are approximately 20,000 emergency calls sent in. Hiring new staff and building up a more secure team will ensure that everyone will be taken care of with more care. Better training will be available, improved medical attention and overall more support.
The broader outcome is to increase the likelihood of animals leaving the shelter alive. Here, building a model system that other cities can follow.
Karen Bass, the Mayor of L.A, backs up this plan. She describes the investment as a “historical Investment.” This is separate from the city’s budget and comes from nonprofit organizations instead.
In short: fewer animals stuck in cages, more getting second chances, and hopefully a lot more smiley moments with wagging tails and new homes.