In large cities like Los Angeles, overpopulation in animal shelters poses a serious threat. Despite efforts to encourage adoption and spay and neuter pets, approximately 25% of Los Angeles’ shelter animals are euthanized each year.
Luckily, the LA City Council just took a major step toward solving this problem. Last week, the group unanimously approved Council member Paul Koretz’s plan to encourage more landlords to accept pets.
It is the Council’s hope that this move will reduce the number of animals that get surrendered to shelters in the first place. Indeed, apartment restrictions are a frequently cited reason when dogs are surrendered. This decision is especially critical in a city like Los Angeles, where roughly half of residents are renters.
The motion filed by the Council asks that the city’s Housing Department collaborate with the Animal Services wing to establish relationships with landlords and tenants, brainstorm initiatives, and execute outreach programs.
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Los Angeles would do well to glean inspiration from examples set by other cities. In Denver, for instance, 93% of apartments accept small dogs. By contrast, about 62% of Los Angeles landlords do not accept pets, according to the American Humane Association.
The Council’s actions will hopefully have positive long-term effects on the city and its four-legged dwellers. As Koretz told local NPR affiliate KPCC, “We want to see if we can get to the point where our shelter system is no-kill.”
And hopefully one day soon, Los Angeles can proudly boast that it’s a no-kill city, too.
