In partnership with Found Animals and with the support of several rescue and
community partners, we wanted to celebrate our Shelter Intervention
Program’s first months statistics. To go along with our data are some of the
front line stories we’ve come across. It’s our goal to be as transparent as
possible with our findings in hopes that we all as a rescue community can
better understand what’s truly happening at the shelters and in the
communities that their located in.
In April 2013, our Shelter Intervention Program was able to prevent 150 pets
from entering the South LA Animal Shelter. 132 were dogs, 17 cats, and 1
rabbit made up the count.
Just under 50% of the people who surrendered their pets to our program
listed housing problems as their reason for parting ways. Community problems
are a chain reaction, and we’re happy that our program is bringing these
issues to the surface.
Let’s not forget the services, In April, we fascilitated 39 Spay/Neuter
surgeries, and 14 humane euthanasia services for pets that were very old,
very sick and in most cases, could no longer walk.
Humane euthanasia services are something we’re really proud of. Many of the families were in tears as they said their final farewell to their beloved family members. Not having the resources to take them to a hospital, they’d bring them to the shelter to be euthanized due to old age or terminal illness. When given the option to take their pets to a veterinary hospital, the families were extremely grateful that they’d be able to send their family pet off with dignity and be with them during their final breath.
After just one month, it’s plain to see the need. Our Shelter Intervention Program takes a huge strain off of the city of Los Angeles by providing some breathing room for LA Animal Services. Undoubtedly our program prevents animals from being euthanized in the shelters, but our program’s community activism is the long term tool that will truly make a difference.