los angeles animal services

Los angeles Animal Services

Los Angeles animal services is facing a major problem a problem most

goverment agencies face, understafing. I write this because I have

read articles on said problem and because I have experienced this

problem first hand recently. It all started when I wanted to save a

baby opossum that was injured on evergreen cemetery. I called animal

services and asked if someone could pick him up because I couldn't

take him. Their responce was that they didn't know if they could send

an officer to do a pick up. Obviously it's understandable that they

have more urgent matters to attend, but alas the opossum died over

night to my. Second time around though when I found an injured crow I

took him myself because some sheltors have a 24 hr drop off available.

You can take all kinds of animals and drop them off. People can also

take unwanted newborns or in rare cases pets they can no longer care

for. One of the reasons for the understaffing is that they cover too

much area with not enough officers, basic supply and demand. A few

weeks ago I was on Soto and Cesar Chavez going to the Ben Franklin

Library and a mixed black and white pitbull followed me all the way

over there running by my side as I skated. At the library he ran

around in the sprinklers and cooled offed from the run. I checked him

out to see if he was healthy and he had a licence. I called the

general number that's on the licence and got put on hold for 15

minutes. I hung up and instead called the local sheltor on Lacy st. I

gave them the 411 and they told me it would take about an hour because

all officers were busy in the field. I caged him in the libraries back

lot waited the hour and no one showed up. I wanted to help the dog but

I couldn't do anything else so I just let him go. Another crisis L.A.

animal shelters face that's more significant that field officers is

that they're understaffed with qualified vets as well. I remember

reading a story about it in the times how there's a lack of

experienced vets in L.A. It would seem that problem is getting worse.

I myself would do what I could and volunteer, but because of legal

restraints I can't do it. I just do my part as a responsible pet owner

by getting my dog her license and keeping her healthy and safe. Other

people don't think like me and there the one's who kill, abuse and

sell animals because they're ignorant. People buy from pet stores or

street vendors promoting their abuse and neglagence. Where I live

people around the neighborhood know me all ready because I walk my dog

,Harleyand her mom, Brooklyn everyday. They compliment me on their

behavior and their looks, which by the way is thanks in part to just

brushing them everyday. Some have even looked to me for advise on

nutrition and how to walk them and train them. I have given them

simple advise that I myself have used and still do. I tell them that

just walking for 45 minutes a day makes a world of difference when a

dog is stuck at home all day bored. From those experiences I know that

my place is to help people care for their pets by giving them the

knowledge they need to do so. Every walk is a new teaching experience

because people see my example of how I treat my four legged friends.

However most people are scarered off by them when they see two 100

pound black labs coming their way. They act as if I'm walking a rot or

a pit. There's dog whisperors and trainers all over the place but

problem is they deal with the non-ghetto communities, that's were I

come in. I have spent my life being a translator for my parents. Now

adays I help inform people on how to care for their animals in english

and spanish. Everytime I do I get a great sence of a complishment