There’s no excuse for animal abuse — and LA has the power to stop it

After 16 years of serving the animals of the city and county of LA, I can say without hesitation that what is happening to animals in our city is heartbreaking, gut-wrenching — and entirely preventable.

LA is one of the largest cities in the world and California has the fourth-largest economy on Earth. Yet when it comes to protecting dogs, LA leaders, residents, shelters, and elected leaders are failing them daily.

This is not a resource problem. It is a leadership problem.

And in LA city shelters, that starts with Karen Bass and the City Council. Mayor Bass has the power to appoint or remove the general manager of LA Animal Services.

Mayor Bass has the power to appoint or remove the general manager of LA Animal Services. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post

Blame also rests with local nonprofits that have a financial incentive not to fix the problem.

Until we have the courage to tell the truth about what is really going on, the mass killing in “no kill” LA will continue.

People often ask why so many healthy, adoptable dogs are being killed in LA shelters.

It begins with failed leadership. It also stems from a powerful false “no kill” narrative.

The public has been led to believe that taking a dog to a shelter is a safe option because they have been told those shelters are “no kill.”

They deserve to know the truth. Animals are still killed every day.

A husky mix dog in a cage in an animal shelter. X/@spencerpratt

This goes on, thanks to the lack of affordable and accessible spay and neuter services; a failure to enforce existing spay and neuter laws; and the failure to educate the public that shelters are not safe havens for dogs.

My charity has tried to help city officials fix these problems. After three years of fighting brutal horrors on Skid Row, and exhausting every single effort –– including offering resources, solutions, and funding –– and being rebuffed, we filed a lawsuit late last year against the city, Bass, the council, animal services, and the LAPD.

To date, they’ve tried throwing out the case three times. Instead of just saving dogs, they’re using taxpayer dollars to fight a charity that’s trying to save dogs. They want us to disappear.

Meanwhile, every unwanted litter on Skid Row further cripples an already overwhelmed system.

What saves lives is prevention. What saves lives is education. What saves lives is affordable spay and neuter. What saves lives is enforcing the laws while telling people the truth.

LA treats dogs as kennel numbers, statistics, and animal ID numbers. Until the animals are seen as the sentient beings they are, and compassionate, effective leaders are running our city shelters, this nightmare will continue.

While the public must stop abandoning and abusing animals, city leaders must stop expecting the public alone to solve a crisis they have failed to prevent while pushing a false narrative about not killing in shelters.

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At City Hall, there is no sense of urgency.

LA has the resources to solve this crisis, yet many of those with the power and money to do so appear to have little interest or incentive.

After all, if the crisis ends, so do the money, the “hero complexes,” and the lifestyles that have been built around all of it.

There will never be real change until there is real accountability, and prevention becomes the priority.

I am sickened by how little progress LA has made. It feels very intentional, which is diabolical. 

There is nothing “No Kill” about killing innocent, adoptable animals.

Rebecca Corry is the founder and executive director of the Stand Up for Pits Foundation, dedicated to education, advocating and saving the lives of pitbull-type dogs.