This is 4 month old Bryce who we rescued from an abusive situation on the streets of Skid Row.  We paid his owner $50 to let us take him into our adoption program. Our outreached worker knew that his broken leg was in bad shape, but it wasn’t until his xrays revealed just how bad of a break we were dealing with. He required an expensive orthopedic surgery and after care in order to save his leg.  The alternative would have been amputation. Because of the high cost of care, we started a GoFundMe for this specific case.  https://gofund.me/4f7f260b

Once he is healed, he will be available to adopt.  We are also looking for a foster for Bryce when he is released from California Animal Rehabilitation Center.

You can also donate on our website

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DDR will be part of the panel on Saturday from 11am to 1pm to discuss how we can support the ASPCA in their efforts to remove breed restrictions and increase pet friendly housing.  We especially need our supporters who live in South Central Los Angeles to show up.  If you live in one of the following zip codes PLEASE register to attend this important event!

90002 * 90003 * 90043 * 90044 * 90045 * 90047 * 90056 * 90059 * 90061 * 90220

Many of the families with pets that we help on a daily basis, live in these zip codes, especially our Watts families with pets, we need you to show up?  We also need support from anyone who lives in Westchester, Playa del Rey, Torrance, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale

In addition to learning more about how YOU can take action to support families with pets, especially families with pitbulls, there will be free pet food for everyone who attends while the supply lasts.

CAN WE COUNT ON YOU?

7 year old “Bubba’s” dad, who is homeless, brought him to the South LA Shelter, pleading for help after they both got locked into an abandoned building where they were squatting.  Out of desperation they were living there because City of LA workers towed away his car where they had been living.  He lost his car, and all of his personal belongings.  In a state of panic, not wanting to have Bubba taken from him too, he lifted Bubba up and over a locked fence.  In doing this, Bubba’s stomach was cut open, badly. Three days later, Bubba could no longer walk, he stopped eating. With no transportation, no money, dad walked around all day, begged people to help him save Bubba. Then he remembered an old friend’s number who is a dog lover, and got in contact with her, asking for ride to the South LA shelter.  Our counselors were on site, set up at a table in front of the receiving area at the South LA Shelter, when they saw Bubba and his dad.  Immediately, they took action by getting an immediate veterinary appointment.  Due to the extent of his injuries, and the infection that had set into the wound, the decision was made by his dad per our veterinarian’s suggestion, to humanely euthanize Bubba.  Humane euthanasia for pets like Bubba is something that we sponsor on a weekly basis.  Keeping more senior pets and terminally ill pets with their low income families until the end of their life instead of being surrendered to the shelter due to financial hardship, and because there is no other option, is to be of the highest service to the community

Here is a what our counselor Amanda wrote in a text,

“This case really affected me and Yessi.  We see a lot of horrible cases, but this one just really messed us up. I literally had to go to the restroom and cry afterwards.  Just thinking about the pain and agony that poor dog went through for three days.” 

Bubba’s dad did the best he could with what he had available to him as a resource.  For many of our clients, the shelter is their only known resource for an emergency.  The mental toll that this takes on our counselors and the shelter staff is immense. In fact, there was a period of time when counselors Amanda and Yesenia did not work at the shelter as counselors because we all needed to take a break for our collective mental health.  But, once you seen the suffering, the families who cannot afford veterinary care, and the range of emotions they display from rage to shame to complete and utter despair, it’s impossible to not be directly involved.  Our counselors are at the South LA shelter every Tuesday and Thursday, at our Pet Suppor Space office by appointment Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and counselors/volunteers are available by phone/text seven days a week to assist any low income […]

This is Cornbread, a senior dog who was likely attacked by other dogs, while he roamed the streets of our Alameda Project area.  Thanks to the kindness of a family who had attended one of our vaccination clinics, live in the area, Amanda our program manager was called, asking for help.  The message for help went like this, ” There is a dog who has been laying in front of my house for four days.  He looks really bad, looks like he was hit by a car, can’t walk.”  Amanda’s first thought was “Why did you wait to call for four days?” Then, thinking about how sometimes families who live in the neighborhoods that we serve are more accustomed to seeing animals and people suffer.  This area has hundreds of homeless people living in trailers, cars, and tents, all trying to survive. Reflecting on the reality of the situation, she was grateful that the family did make the call for help.  More than likely, she thought, this is going to be a pick up for a humane euthanasia.  When she got him into her car, she took the photo of him covered in dried blood, bite wounds, too weak to hold up his head.

Rescued from the street

Because of the holidays, our DDR kennel was full, and all of the boarding facilities that we use were also full. The only place for him to go was the South LA Shelter.  Not the best option, but the only option we had that day.  Thankfully, Dr. Rameriz at Los Angeles Veterinary Clinic offered to give him an exam, bloodwork, and care for his wounds, while he boarded him a couple days.  This gave us a little time to figured out a plan.

Leaving the shelter to go to LA Veterinary Center

We named him “Cornbread” after the artist Cornbread the Legend.  Next, we had a dedicated and experienced foster, who offered to keep him safe at her home until we had some space at our kennel.  After leaving the animal hospital, he went to Noemi’s home, where he had his first bath, his first walk, and he began to understand that he was safe.  But it wasn’t easy, barking non stop for almost two days, not understanding where he was.  Living in a home was a huge adjustment during those first 72 hours.

Wearing a sweater, walking through the neighborhood

Bath time

Noemi reassuring Cornbread he is safe

We don’t know much about Cornbread other than at some point in his life someone loved him because he walks well on leash, will nudge for affection, enjoys being touched and petted.  How […]

During the months of July, August and September, Downtown Dog Rescue provided assistance, services, and support for 1,811 family pets ( 1199 dogs and 612 cats)   Like most months, the majority of the requests for assistance involve DDR paying for a percentage to paying for 100% of veterinary care.  A total of 1052 pets received care ranging from vaccinations to chronic medical conditions, to life saving care. Spay and Neuter appointments are difficult to almost impossible to get for most of our families with pets.

In the third quarter, we provided 443 spay and neuter surgeries for cats and dogs.  Each month, we have at least two, and sometimes three mobile clinic days, where the cost to spay/neuter + vaccinate + microchip ranges from a cost of free to a copay of $20-$40.  For most of the surgeries, DDR is paying the majority of the cost to get more pets spayed and neutered.  In August, we began offering s/n services to the community of Huntington Park, and we are committed to go back every other month with a mobile clinic, in partnership with the Huntington Park Police Department.

DDR paying for City of Los Angeles pet redemptions is way down, we only paid for a total of 9 pet redemptions to send pets back home, and out of the shelter.  LAAS is now covering the cost of pet redemptions when someone is low income/homeless and can not afford to redeem their dog or cat from the shelter.

17 humane euthanasia services were provided for dogs that were brought to the South LA Shelter to be surrendered because their families could not afford to humanely euthanize their senior/terminally ill pet. Rather than surrendering to the shelter where they would likely sit in a cage suffering, DDR paid for the services so that the families could stay with their pet until the end of their life, surrounded by love and compassion. Families can call or text us for immediate support.

288 families with pets received a monthly supply of cat or dog food.  These are all clients who have registered in our program, have spayed/neutered their pets, and rely on DDR to feed their pets.  This does not include the hundreds of pounds of food that we pass out on a weekly basis to people with pets who are living on the street, in their vehicles, in trailers.  Often, when we meet them, they have no resources for their pet, and have lost connection to resources for themselves as well.

We had three cases of a notice to comply, the reason for being cited was lack of shelter or lack of containment.  In these cases, we provide a dog house, repair a simple fence or gate fix, while making sure that the pets in the household get spayed and neutered.  If the families want to join our maintenance program, and receive ongoing assistance, we offer that as well.

Counselors Amanda and Yesenia […]