As part of the Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia’s goal of providing transparency on City Hall, the controller’s office is providing a transparency report on the Department of Animal Services (DAS), also known as Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS), with a focus on Shelter Operations and Animal Care
The department provides and oversees the care and enrichment of animals placed into their care. However, many issues impede the department’s ability to maintain the gold standard level of service the animals deserve and the public have come to expect which were brought out to light publicly last year.
For example, due to staffing shortages and overcrowding of animals at city shelters, it is difficult for staff to maintain cleanliness for all animals throughout the day and provide enrichment for the animals. At the largest shelter (South LA), there were 446 animals at the shelter (358 were dogs) as of Jan. 18, but staffing for Animal Care Technicians or ACTs at South LA during the main shift (day shift) range from 8 to 13 ACTs working. Besides cleaning kennels and cages, ACTs also feed and give water to animals, and provide customer service to the public with animal intake and adoptions.
It is also important to note that on Page 91 of the department’s FY23-24 budget proposal, the department states that staff shortages have led to insufficient animal care and deficiencies in customer service at our animal shelters including:
Increased liability with dog bite injuries due to staff shortages.
Difficulty maintaining clean kennels due to staff shortages.
Inability to provide consistent exceptional customer service due to staff shortages.
Animals housed with little enrichment to help them thrive during stressful kenneling for long periods of time.
Inadequate staffing to operate six 24/7 Animal Services Centers.
Difficulty completing daily rounds which are used to ensure animals are on an appropriate pathway for a positive outcome (i.e., adoption), return to owner or transfer to a rescue partner.
The purpose of this transparency report, which is not an audit, is to give the department, the public and policymakers a detailed look and better understanding of the department’s shelter operations and conditions.
The controller’s office said it hopes the report will be used to help address systemic issues the department is facing and aid policymakers in their decision making as it relates to policies and funding for the department.
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Details: See the report