Letters to the Editor: By all means, stop dog breeding. L.A.’s animal shelters are bursting

To the editor: Along with dogs adopted during the pandemic that are now being returned to shelters, the proliferation of French bulldogs has become a problem. “Frenchies” are all the rage, but have many serious breathing issues. They cannot even give birth safely without human intervention. (“L.A. council committee backs moratorium on dog breeding licenses,” Oct. 4)

So by all means, pause dog breeding. Do it for at least five years, because it may take that long for Los Angeles shelters to get their act together. We simply have too many dogs, cats and other animals.

Shelter staffing is inadequate. People who sign up to volunteer aren’t often even contacted — I know two people who applied to walk dogs a few years ago. A friend and I regularly drop off towels, blankets and newspapers at the West L.A. shelter, and the sound of the dogs barking is horrific and heartbreaking.

So, yes, pause dog breeding licenses.

Carole Shelton, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Finally, I read something that gives me hope about ending our inhumane treatment of animals.

My own dog is with me now because of The Times’ reporting on animal shelters that are so crowded that some dogs go months without being walked. After reading about that, I drove through tears to a shelter to walk a dog and, well, you know the rest.

Because we have so many animals in shelters, we do the easiest and most egregiously arrogant thing we can as humans: We kill these loving and loyal creatures who didn’t ask to be here.

I have begun a petition to declare California a kill-free state. Yes, there are allegedly no-kill shelters, but this initiative would ban the killing of animals just to make space.

If any state could pull it off, it is ours, which stood against the production of foie gras and the abuse of animals by circuses.

We have an unfortunate problem. Let us end it without killing innocent creatures who only want to lick our hand. Disallowing backyard breeding is a great start.

Louis Cimino, Beverly Hills