California’s Animal Crisis: Overcrowded, Underfunded, and Ignored

• Shelters across Los Angeles County are operating at 155% capacity, housing over 1,100 dogs in facilities built for just 737. Animals are stacked in shared kennels, left without walks, and often go days without basic care.
• In just nine months, LA County euthanized 1,244 dogs and 1,517 cats—a 72% and 17% increase, respectively. Most were not sick or aggressive. They were simply out of time and out of space.
• Despite a $30 million budget, LA Animal Services remains chronically understaffed, underfunded, and overwhelmed.
• With more cuts on the table and three shelter closures proposed, the system isn’t just failing—it’s collapsing in real time.

The people of Los Angeles County have been sounding the alarm for years.
Volunteers have walked out. Whistleblowers have exposed horrific conditions. Advocates have flooded council meetings, published photos, and demanded reform. Shelters have been overwhelmed—not just with animals, but with public outrage.

The county’s response? Excuses, delays, and budget cuts.
Three shelters may close. Dozens of staff positions have been cut. Conditions continue to decline while leadership claims they’re doing their best.
There’s no transparency. No structural reform. No accountability.
And while the system collapses, animals keep dying.

• Severe Budget Cuts Anticipated
  The mayor’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2025–26 would slash $6.4 million—roughly 10% of the department’s funding—and eliminate 62 essential staff positions, dramatically undermining animal care capacity.

• Shelter Closures Looming
  Budget reductions could force the shutdown of three out of six shelters, heightening overcrowding at the remaining facilities and increasing euthanasia just to make room.

• An Underfunded Department with Growing Demand
  Animal Services handles approximately 42,000 animal intakes yearly on a budget of around $30 million—far too little to meet the demand for lifesaving services.

• Existing Funding Still Too Low
  Even after public outcry, the department’s actual 2024–25 budget remains at just $30.3 million, significantly below its request of nearly $92 million, and less than a third of what was deemed necessary to address shelter crises.

• Chronic Understaffing Causes Direct Harm
  Audit reports reveal multiple dogs in a single kennel, staff overwhelmed by shifts, pervasive unsanitary conditions, and animals going days or weeks without walks or proper care. Over 47 staff positions remain vacant.

• Cuts Will Likely Increase Euthanasia
  Experts warn that reducing staff and resources will force a return to “kill for space” protocols. Already, overcrowded shelters have seen a 72% spike in dog euthanasia and a 17% rise in cat euthanasia year-over-year—many animals euthanized not for illness or behavior, but for lack of room.