Valley Perspective : Valley Voices : Fostering a Better Life for Animals

In Los Angeles County, where more than 100,000 stray dogs and cats are euthanized annually, overcrowded animal shelters are a perennial problem. Recently the difficulty was heightened by a new state law, intended to save more cats and dogs, that extends the time shelters must hold animals before killing them. The good news, animal advocates say, is that the situation focuses more attention on the plight of unwanted pets.

With that in mind, PAMELA DAVEGA CARR asked several community members what can be done to improve adoptability and lessen the overpopulation problems of area shelters.

FELICE CATENA

Volunteer, Los Angeles Department of Animal Services Mobile Pet Adoptions, Encino

I’m part of a group of volunteers that works with animal shelters. On weekends we fill up the trucks and take the animals out of the shelters to malls and stores for adoption. Shelters are very depressing. It is more pleasant to go to the mall and see a person holding an animal, rather than see [the animals] in cages.

With adoptions we have no guarantees or control. We just have to hope for the best. I think follow-up procedures would be a great idea.

A huge problem that needs to be stopped is backyard breeding. They can’t get rid of all the pets and then they end up in shelters. I’m not talking about legitimate breeders. I’m talking about people who have mutts and let them breed uncontrolled. Education about spaying and neutering is really important.

People need to be taught to be responsible about pets. It’s a lifelong commitment. You can’t just dump them at the shelter when it becomes too much.

JILLANA BRUNO

Director of operations, Pet Orphans Fund, Van Nuys

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One problem with shelters is the shelter persona. It’s a sad place to go; it’s very depressing. I think they should put in adoption rooms. Spacey, bright, cheery rooms for people to meet and interact with the pets. Maybe add in a plant or flowers, something to make it more welcoming. That way people don’t have to see the animals only in cages.

A real effective PR campaign would be great, to let people know how many wonderful pets are in shelters. Also, there should be public-service announcements in newspapers and advertisements on television and cable. This would definitely reach more people and get the word out.

STACY GREER

Manager, Roxford Veterinary Clinic, Sylmar

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I think the shelters themselves need a lot of work. If they had a better reputation they could adopt out a lot more animals. They need to be more user-friendly. They need more employees and better employees. They need more people for the phones, because sometimes you have a hard time getting through. When you do get through, they are sometimes rude and abrupt, and you get the feeling that they don’t care because, being a city employee, they have job security.

Health-wise, they really need to take better care of the animals. A lot of people don’t recommend animals from shelters because sometimes they’re sick. Employees need to quarantine sick animals and check all of them, as they come in, for health problems. Another idea would be to bathe the animals and fix them up so they look better and would be more adoptable. They should have a volunteer program to do things like that. I know a lot of people who would volunteer to do it.

BEVERLY STREICHER

Breeder, soft-coated wheaten terriers, Encino

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I know of a group that rescues terriers, and one thing they do in finding homes is interview people and have them sign contracts on the animals. People must be made aware ahead of time what to expect from the dog, things like maintenance, health problems, training and temperament. The people in animal shelters need to know a lot to educate people who come in to look at dogs.

Some of the proposed laws for breeders--increased fees for licensing and extra breeder fees--are killers. I can understand the motivation--to decrease animals in the shelters. But it would end up costing breeders money and may put legitimate breeders out of business. All that is going to do is open up the doors to puppy mills because they don’t have licenses. We can’t make laws to make people good. We have to educate people and change our way of thinking about animals.