Op-ed originally published via Los Angeles Daily News on September 24, 2024
By Gina Knepp, National Shelter Engagement Director, Michelson Found Animals
The animal shelter crisis in Los Angeles feels intractable. Throwing money and people at the problem fails to fix it, and animals continue to suffer. As things approach a breaking point, prioritizing back-to-basics leadership and community engagement can help us turn a new leaf.
Mayor Karen Bass’s recent appointment of Alison McBeth-Featherstone as president of the Board of Animal Services Commissioners and Olivia Garcia as vice president brings hope. Where there is a change in leadership, there is an opportunity for change. They can get it right.
The issues driving the shelter crisis are diverse—from insufficient spay and neuter services to a lack of pet-inclusive housing and affordability issues. While these challenges are complex and persistent, there are basic, actionable steps that can immediately improve our shelters.
Los Angeles city shelters, as they stand, fall short of the most basic standard of care recommendations. My decade of experience managing a municipal shelter in California has shown me that though the situation is dire, even small improvements can have a real impact.
To make progress, the new board leadership and the city must adopt a back-to-basics approach: implementing standardized cleaning protocols, appointing strong shelter leadership, establishing robust foster and volunteer programs, working to keep animals with their families, and reuniting lost animals with their owners. Focusing on these fundamentals can create meaningful change.
The first step is to clean house—literally. Shelters should adopt standardized cleaning protocols to reduce illness outbreaks that drive up operating costs. Repairing the vertical sliding doors that separate the two sides of each kennel (aka guillotine doors) will ensure that staff can clean kennels safely and more easily. This is not just about aesthetics; it’s about the health and safety of animals, staff, and volunteers.
Without leadership at each individual shelter, maintaining even basic standards becomes impossible. Last year, animal shelter manager positions were eliminated across Los Angeles. The board must consider appointing a facility manager at each shelter. These facilities need oversight of daily rounds, inventory management, and pathway planning for each animal.
Leadership alone isn’t enough—community involvement is equally crucial. Creating a robust foster program is vital to alleviating the overpopulation problem. Studies have shown that pets who are fostered have a much higher likelihood of being adopted. Engaging the community through a well-structured volunteer program allows the public to provide hands-on help. With nearly two million pet-owning households in Los Angeles, there is a vast, untapped network of animal lovers who can, and often want to be, part of the solution.
Additionally, our elected officials and the Board of Animal Services leadership must provide resources to keep pets with their families. Programs like a non-restrictive pet food pantry and accessible sterilization and vaccination services can ensure people don’t have to give up their pets to shelters due to hardship.
Studies show that community members often have more success than shelters in finding new homes for pets. Programs like Home To Home™, which Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) has wisely adopted, demonstrate the importance of community involvement. It’s crucial for LAAS to prioritize, support, and engage the community in this initiative, ensuring that shelter space is reserved for animals truly in need.
The city of Los Angeles has a role to play, but this is a community crisis that demands a community response. With leadership that focuses on the basics and meaningful community engagement, we can create a shelter system that serves both animals and people. Michelson Found Animals Foundation and other nonprofit organizations are ready to partner in this effort.
Together, we can transform Los Angeles into a beacon of hope for its animals.
Gina Knepp is the National Shelter Engagement Director with Michelson Found Animals.
