LA Looks To Extend Shelter Hours, Boost Security At 6 Animal Facilities

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles City Council instructed the Department of Animal Services Wednesday to report on ways it can better support the city's six shelters by possibly extending operational hours, improving security and planning building repairs or renovations.

In a unanimous vote, the council approved three separate but related motions aimed at improving the city's animal shelters. Each motion was introduced by Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez and Councilman Tim McOsker on Sept. 9.

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The first motion directs Los Angeles Animal Services to report on the security needs at each of the shelters and related necessary funding. Rodriguez and McOsker's security motion came in response to an attack this summer at LAAS' North Central shelter at 3201 Lacy St., near Interstate 5 and the Harbor (110) Freeway.

A man who had recently been incarcerated went to the shelter to retrieve his dog, who was undergoing neuter surgery, and became irate for unspecified reasons. He allegedly began throwing items, damaging property and threatening staff members. The Los Angeles Police Department was called to the shelter and the man was arrested, according to LAAS General Manager Gabrielle Amster.

Amster recapped the incident during a Board of Animal Services Commissioners meeting in early September. She said the employees' injuries were not life-threatening, but the experience was traumatizing for them nonetheless.

"Our staff at North Central felt under siege at their own workplace," she told the commissioners.

Amster added that the Mayor's Office sent extra security to the shelter, and that security remained in place with no current timeline for removal. The GM said she hopes the incident does not cause people to associate the shelter with violence.

"It is a wonderful shelter with beautiful play yards ... and an important anchor for the community," she said.

In their second motion, Rodriguez and McOsker requested a report on how to better structure the operating hours of the shelters, in particular to add more evening and weekend hours. Shelters are generally open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are closed on Mondays and for city-observed holidays.

"In order to help with maintaining a healthy environment for the animals and giving people better access through evening and weekend hours, Animal Services would be more able to reach the goals of connecting each animal with the appropriate family," according to the motion.

Lastly, the council directed LAAS to report on the condition and capital improvement needs of all properties used by the department.

Rodriguez and McOsker's motion states that the last major infrastructure improvement bond measure funding LAAS facilities was Proposition F, which was approved city voters in Nov. 7, 2000. It resulted in about $154.1 million for animal facilities.

"The city has provided stop-gap funding over multiple budget cycles to maintain facilities; however, a comprehensive, current assessment of the condition of each DAS property and the Department's outstanding and anticipated capital is necessary to establish clear priorities for future investment," the motion reads.

The assessment is expected to identify immediate health, safety, animal-welfare, operational, accessibility and infrastructure needs, as well as longer-term improvements, according to the council members.

City News Service