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Across LA County, animal shelters are filling to the brim.
Combined with the excessive heat, many animals are being confined to tight spaces while having compounded stress brought on by the presence of other struggling animals increasing risk of illness and absence of healthy stimulation.
The animals registered into the shelter system face a variety of challenges, one being the restrictive nature of the kennels and cages. Shelter dogs are typically only taken out two or three times a day but are kept inside the rest of the time because of the overwhelming heat.
Another common liability that animals face in shelters is the increased risk of catching diseases and parasites like giardia, tapeworms and kennel cough, which, if left unchecked, can cause fatal pneumonia.
The shelter crisis was not always this dire. The outbreak of COVID caused an upsurge in adoptions that, in turn, resulted in many animals ending up in the shelter system.
“So many people were stuck at home during the pandemic and wanted a ‘companion’ but didn’t realize that a companion would require training, vet care, food and whatnot,” Animal Control Officer Katie Clark said.
As a result, many pets weren’t properly interacting with other people or other animals and struggled to live in a post-covid society.
“The owners blame the pet and try to make it seem like it is the animal’s fault because they are misbehaving and don’t know how to act properly,” Clark said.
Long-time shelter volunteer Andrea Menschel shares a similar sentiment, having witnessed these issues firsthand.
“People just said, ‘That’s cute! I want to adopt it!’ but they didn’t fully understand the kind of commitment it was.”
According to the LA County website, an issue that has been prevalent since before COVID-19 is the irresponsible breeding of animals, also known as backyard breeding.
This typically occurs when people are trying to profit off the selling of animals, and many of these pets end up malnourished and unsocialized due to the limited stimulation they receive.
Wide-open spaces in Lancaster or Antelope Valley have become hotspots for backyard breeding, resulting in many dogs being surrendered to local shelters, causing overpopulation and leading to euthanasia to free up space within only two weeks of dogs initial arrival.
To help raise the rate of adoptions, LA County has hosted multiple events that entail bringing a select few dogs or cats out to a park or fair to increase awareness of overcrowding.
Even if you’re not a shelter staff member or volunteer, community members can help improve the lives of these animals in many ways, including responsible pet ownership.
“Please spay and neuter your pets,” Clark said. “If you see something, say something, whether it’s backyard breeding or animals being abused. Animals do not have a voice to speak up for themselves, but we do. Additionally, microchipping and registering your microchip is a must, then if they get lost we can help them get back home.”
Raising awareness about this issue is crucial. Reposting shelter dogs on Instagram or NextDoor can help address the increasing number of animals suffering county-wide in overcrowded shelters.
“Just take care of your animals, do your research and don’t hesitate to reach out for help or ask for resources,” Clark said.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 print edition.
