Photo of Stormy when she was healthier

12 year old Stormy’s elderly and ill person, who is currently unhoused, came to the Harbor Shelter, pleading for help.  Stormy was recently diagnosed with diabetes. She has not wanted to eat or stand up for the last week.  Her quality of life had declined rapidly.  Our shelter intervention program manager, Amanda listened to Stormy’s person tell her how much she had gone through over the past few weeks.  Being very ill, recovering from a major surgery, getting the news that Stormy was sick hit her hard. Watching Stormy suffer daily, was too much.  With the little money she had after paying for the diagnosis, she decided that humane euthanasia was the best option.  However, the animal hospital where she went would not euthanize Stormy because they told her that “She didn’t try everything”  First, she couldn’t afford to try everything, the hospital didn’t offer to treat Stormy for free or give her resources for low cost, which pretty much don’t exist.  So she drove around with Stormy getting sicker each day. With no other options, she arrived at the Harbor Shelter, and instead of surrendering Stormy, we offered to send her to a partner animal hospital where she could hold Stormy, and have her cremated.  This was her only companion for the past twelve years.

Imagine knowing that your pet is slowly dying, is suffering, and because you can’t afford veterinary care, you helplessly watch, or surrender your pet to a shelter.  No one should have to make that type of decision, especially someone who is unhoused and seriously ill.  Yet, everyday, low income families with pets bring them to the shelter to surrender them because they cannot access affordable veterinary care.  We have counselors at the South LA Shelter and the Harbor Shelter to meet people with pets who are in crisis, need some type of support or resources, access to spay and neuter, and provide ongoing, long term support through our Pet Support Space.

Counselor Yesenia speaking to a family needing help with their pet

Because we have so many low income people in need of basic veterinary care for their pet cats, we created “Cat Box Clinic”, which is a clinic in a rented contractor’s office.

20 ft container that can moved anywhere

At a cost of $450 per month, the container was delivered fully finished with flooring, shades, lights, and air conditioning. Next, we partnered with an awesome veterinarian and RVT who are helping us every step of the way, telling us what equipment and supplies to order.  Our goal will be to see patients one evening per week from 5PM – 9PM by appointment only.  No emergencies, no surgeries, we will focus on treating chronic suffering from skin and ear infections, conditions like mange or ringworm. We will offer […]

CELEBRATE NATIONAL DOG DAY WITH US AT OUR KID’S READING HOUR AT CLANCY’S CLOSET

On Saturday August 26th from 11am – 12pm Clancy’s Closet will be hosting a free Kid’s Reading Hour! We will be reading animal themed books and will have a puppy and a kitten to pet and play with. Celebrate national dog day with us! Entry is free for all. We would love to have kids of all ages and families of all kinds come to our community event! Before and after the reading hour you can shop for your pet at discounted rates! Bring your family, tell your friends and join us for family friendly fun! Address is 3925 Tweedy Blvd South Gate, CA 90280 from 11am to 12pm.

SHOP OFFICIAL DDR MERCHANDISE TODAY

We have exciting announcements to share! Downtown Dog Rescue has released official merchandise! Shop official DDR shirts, hoodies, and tote bags on our Bonfire storefront. All proceeds support our lifesaving access to veterinary care programs.

Click the ‘SHOP’ tab on our website to shop our merch today!

On Thursday at the LAAS Harbor Shelter, our counselor Amanda met “Queen” and her person who is currently experiencing homelessness.  Although she is not staying on the streets, she is “couch surfing” staying with friends.  She came to the shelter because she was contemplating surrendering 2 year old Queen due to her chronic ear infection, and now even worse, a ear hematoma.  Knowing that she could not afford veterinary care, she had no way of charging on a credit card, or borrowing from friends or family.  The little money that she makes working, she had spent on Queen’s care, but even with some care, her ears got worse.  Because she loves Queen so much, she believed that her dog deserved a better life with someone who could afford the veterinary care Queen desperately needed.  Her only known option was surrendering her dog to the Harbor Shelter, which is something she never wanted to do.  Queen has been her “rock” during a difficult period in her life, she loves and needs Queen in order to get by one day at a time, but she could not continue to watch this beautiful soul suffer.

It took a great deal of courage to come to the shelter, to put her dog’s needs before her own. Shelter staff referred her to Amanda who actively listened to what she was going through, without judging how Queen looked.  Amanda was able to offer an alternative to surrendering Queen.  DDR could help her register for AlignCare and guide her through a treatment plan for Queen, paying for whatever she was not able to afford.  Like Queen’s person, maybe you have never heard of AlignCare.  https://www.aligncarehealth.org/main  This program that DDR is part of, helps families with pets, who live in poverty, access veterinary care, much like MediCal for people.  The program works like this: Veterinarians who join the program agree to discount their services by 20%, AlignCare pays 80% and the family is responsible for paying only 20% of the cost of care.  For people like Queen’s person, who cannot afford the 20%, DDR pays the family co-pay.  To be clear, this is not a “hand-out”, a one-time assistance for a pet’s medical care. This is whole health.  This is the future of animal welfare.  Once a family is enrolled into the AlignCare program, our counselor Amanda leads the enrollment efforts, the family forms a relationship with a veterinarian, their pet can access care when needed without waiting for a pop-up clinic, or some free pet fair that may or may not be able to assist them.  AlignCare puts the access to veterinarian care where it should be, directly with the low income family who needs it.

Friday, Queen had her first appointment and will have surgery soon to repair her ear.  It will be a series of treatments, medications, exams and rechecks to get her ears in healthy shape, but with the […]

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Michelson Found Animals Foundation to open Clancy’s Closet: Pet Support Space and affordable pet supply store! This program is made possible in part by a generous grant from Michelson Found Animals We are extremely grateful for their ongoing support and generosity. 

Clancy’s Closet is one of a kind community space that gives back to community pets in need. All proceeds from Clancy’s Closet directly supports our Pet Support Space, which increases access to veterinary care. What makes Clancy’s Closet special is that we provide volunteer opportunities to previously unhoused individuals who are re-entering the workforce. This opportunity allows individuals to find purpose and motivation in their daily lives. We provide volunteer opportunities to community high school students who need volunteer service hours. Clancy’s Closet also works with a local program to help employ adults with autism in Los Angeles. 

“We are so excited to open Clancy’s Closet as a unique community and Pet Support Space. Our community’s never ending support makes it possible for our program to continue to provide resources and care to folks and families with pets transitioning from crisis and isolation to stability and independence.” Clancy’s Closet Project Coordinator Liv Sigel said. 

All day long folks stop by with their pets to shop for necessities, goodies, and to get spay/neuter and other pet resources. 

This is foster dog Honey stopping by to pick out her favorite treats donated by I and Love and You Pet Company. 

Clancy’s Closet offers a wide range of quality pet supplies from leashes and collars to custom I.D. tags and comfortable beds. At Clancy’s Closet you can take what you need and donate what you can. Shop for your pet and help pets in need!  #ShopForGood #Shop4Good

Clancy’s Closet is located in the heart of South Gate, CA on the #TweedyMile and they offer affordable, discounted, and quality pet supplies to the community. Clancy’s Closet is located at 3925 Tweedy Blvd South Gate, CA 90280 and is open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am to 2pm and every Saturday from 1pm to 4pm.

In June, we provided services for 513 pets, of which 401 were new clients and 112 returning.  A total of 309 dogs and 204 cats received the following services:

Spay and Neuter -28%  We work with Spay4LA and Amazing Animal Practice’s mobile clinics to provide free to low cost surgeries with vaccines and microchips each month. An amazing addition to June was the ASPCA mobile spay/neuter clinic coming out to provide surgeries for pets who live on Skid Row, with surgeries done in the heart of Skid Row, where anyone living in the area had access to free surgeries with vaccines and microchipping.

26% met one of our counselors at the South LA Shelter or the Harbor Shelter because they were contemplating surrendering their pet due to being unable to pay for veterinary care.  We cover some or all of the costs, depending on the person’s ability to pay.  Services included caring for chronic painful conditions which relieves daily suffering to major life saving surgeries.  Most low income families with pets can afford to pay some of the cost, but need help with getting an appointment and covering the total cost.

4% of pets were humanely euthanized at one of veterinary partners instead of being surrendered to a shelter.  Humane euthansia is accessible to only those who are aware of what this procedure is, and second can afford it.  For everyone else, surrendering a terminally ill, suffering pet to a shelter is their only known option.  We provide a compassionate alternative, meeting families with pets at both the South LA and Harbor Shelters as well as receiving texts and phone calls, as referrals from all City of LA Shelters.  Our counselors work almost 24/7 speaking to people who are trying to decide the best option for end of life for their beloved pets.

38% received wellness / preventative care such as vaccinations, deworming, flea treatment, and basic exams for cats and dogs at our monthly free clinic with the SCVMA.

We could not continue to provide all the services that we do without your support.  Please consider making a donation or even better, sign up to become a monthly donor.

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THANK YOU!

Baby Buster was a total surprise. Our outreach worker Gabby had been helping an unhoused family with their dogs.  The family made a difficult decision to give up mama Lucille formerly known as Berlin, because they were being forced to move their trailer to a high traffic dangerous street. They knew Lucille’s personality, and worried that she would dart out in traffic and get hit.  They loved her so much that they wanted DDR to find her a forever family.  Lucille entered our adoption program, was sent to Alondra Animal Hospital for board and spay, when we discovered that Lucille had one puppy overnight, and the staff could not believe what they saw that morning, since no one knew that she was pregnant.  Volunteer Siobhan agreed to foster this little family.

Buster has been lovingly raised by his mama dog Lucille, with 24/7 care and attention, making him a sweet puppy.  He has had two sets of vaccinations, has been dewormed, and if you agree to adopt him, we would consider a “foster -to – adopt” agreement, where he would be officially adopted once he is old enough to be neutered.  Buster is a BIG baby! You see mama is some type of husky mix, about 35-40lbs.  We think daddy dog was definitely a large breed dog, maybe shepherd, we don’t know for sure since mama dog often ran freely in the streets, meeting lots of other dogs.

We hope that if you can’t adopt, you will share this post with friends and family who might be looking to adopt a puppy.  To learn more about Buster and mama Lucille go here Adopt Buster

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

Donate

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?