Last week, a woman named Eusebia brought her dog Chucho to our South LA Shelter Intervention office, having lost all hope. Weeping, she could barely tell our counselor Amanda her story. How she got to this point. She and her children loved Chucho, but their landlord received a cancellation of the property insurance because Chucho was labeled a German Shepherd. She was given 72 hours to move or get rid of him. As a single mom out of work, barely covering rent and food, she was in no position to move. To make matters more complicated, she was battling a deep depression, suffering PTSD as a survivor of domestic violence. Like many families we meet, Chucho was their “rock”. Sadly they all came to the shelter to say goodbye. The family had been up all night crying, thinking that they would never see their beloved pet ever again. Can you imagine how that might feel? Amanda read the letter from the insurance company. She took action by calling the landlord and then the insurance agent to get more information. What she discovered was that by getting Chucho to be categorized as a shepherd mix, combined with the fact that he was already neutered and licensed, he qualified to become a service dog for Eusebia, based on some personal medical information that she shared with Amanda.
But we had to over come one more obstacle: The landlord wanted a letter, and the medical doctor was referring Eusebia to a specialist which would be a month-long wait. She didn’t have that much time, so we sent her to a doctor we work with and in less than two days, her case was completed. Not only did Chucho get to stay with his family, he was now able to go almost everywhere with them. The smiles on this families’ faces was all Amanda needed to see. There are so many families with pets out there that need an advocate, that need help to get through a tough time. The Shelter Intervention Programs are now at the Los Angeles Animal Services’ South LA Shelter, East Valley Shelter, and North Central Shelter, as well as several County Animal Care and Control shelter such as Carson, Baldwin Park, and Downey.
The Shelter Invention Program is unique in that it creates customized solutions for families and their pets. Although it is a replicable program, we do not offer one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter responses. We meet each family where they are, and problem solve to keep a pet in a happy home however we can. Rarely are two cases the same, and yet this is perhaps what makes it so exciting. It’s a program that provides on the ground, real answers to questions that can make a difference between life and death. Just as Chucho who is still alive today, still prancing around his home, and still very much adored. It was our pleasure and honor to have helped Eusebia and her family. We look forward to the day where this model is carried out in more shelters, and in more cities.
