Public’s Ideas Are Needed

People who attend meetings of the city’s Board of Animal Services tend to be professional breeders or animal-rights activists. That’s not surprising; both groups have an avid interest in dogs, cats and other critters. But for tomorrow’s public hearing at Cal State Northridge on how to spend $150 million in bond money, Animal Services is trying to expand its reach.

That’s a laudable goal. Voters, who approved the citywide bond in November to build and improve animal shelters, deserve a say in the specifics of how the money will be spent.

But even more than that, ordinary people need to be part of the solution to the problem of pet overpopulation.

The numbers tell the story of just how big a problem it is. Almost 50,000 animals a year--three-fourths of all strays brought to city shelters--are killed there. The city’s eight shelters cannot keep up. Cages meant to house one dog hold three or four. Crowding contributes to the spread of disease and makes it all the harder to find adoptive homes for the animals.

The bond money will help solve the crowding problem, upgrading the two shelters already in the San Fernando Valley and adding a third. But Animal Services commissioners also want to know how else services can be improved.

“I’d like to come in with no preconceived notions about what our shelters are doing right or wrong, so we could incorporate whatever suggestions come in,” said commission president Al Avila. “How can we make these shelters more user-friendly? Do we need visitation areas, where you can sit with a dog and get to know him? How can we showcase the most adoptable animals?”

The hearing is also an opportunity to educate the public about what’s already being done not just to encourage adoptions but to discourage the number of animals abandoned in the first place.

People abandon pets for any number of reasons. Having a dog that barks too much or is too unruly is one, even though a dog-training class could have helped get the animal under control. Some people didn’t realize ahead of time what a responsibility a pet would be. You see that this time of year especially, which is why surprising someone with a puppy or a kitten for Christmas isn’t a good idea.

Then there are dogs bred to fight and too aggressive to keep as pets. Some are disposed of after fights. Some get loose. And then there are dogs and cats that are simply allowed to breed, with no care taken to what will become of their offspring. In some parts of town, Animal Services workers are seeing not just strays but wild dogs, third-generation strays that have been born wild.

In an effort to control the city’s pet population, the Los Angeles City Council last year passed one of the toughest spay and neuter ordinances in the nation. Fees for dogs not spayed or neutered went from $30 to $100 a year; the fee for altered dogs remains $10. The new ordinance sets a $500 fine for violators after two warnings. (Although licensing is not required for cats, unaltered cats should be kept indoors.)

Nonprofit groups have stepped in to help low-income residents spay and neuter their pets. The city has earmarked $500,000 for an anti-breeding campaign that includes an enforcement task force that goes door-to-door to tell pet owners about the new law and give out information on spay-and-neuter clinics.

If you have other ideas for improving services or want to know how you can help, now is the time to speak up.

To Take Action: The Board of Animal Services will hold a public hearing at Cal State Northridge Student Center Grand Salon, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, on Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. A free dog training demonstration will be held at 4:30 p.m., but please leave your pets at home.