Mary Cummins Animal Advocates Los Angeles California Wildlife Rehabilitation Real Estate

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Showing posts with label statistics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label statistics. Show all posts

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Audit of Los Angeles Animal Services by Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates


December 4, 2024 LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia ordered an independent audit of Los Angeles Animal Services.  Mejia ordered the audit because of increasing intake and euthanasia rates at Los Angeles city animal shelters noted by outside animal rescue organization Best Friends. Mejia stated "Our audit aims to give L.A. Animal Services, the public, and policymakers a detailed understanding of LAAS' struggle to provide adequate care, and the audit will identify ways the system can be improved, both at current funding levels and with additional funding."

A part of that audit included a Request for Proposals (RFP) titled “Evaluation of LA City Animal Shelters and Care” by an independent consultant. The proposal may have been about to be awarded to past LA Animal Services Chief veterinarian Dr Dena Mangiamele. Mangiamele was allegedly notified by the City Controller that the contract was cancelled due to conflict of interest. I tried to confirm with the City Controller and Dena Mangiamele but neither returned my email. As far as I know the City Controller is still doing an audit. Maybe they just chose a different consultant or no consultant to save funds.

In light of all of this I decided to do my own quick audit. I was asked to be a commissioner for LA Animal Services around 2006. I was on the Prop F Committee around 2006. I used to attend all the meetings and publicly post my minutes before they started audio recordings. I've been following the Department closely since 2000 and have written a few mini audits and articles if you search this blog. I link two mini audits I did below from 2015 and another in 2011. I probably did a few much earlier.

I took a look at the Department animal statistics since 2017. I'm sure I have stats from 1990's if not earlier in my records. Intake and euthanasia rates had been going down while spay neuter was going up since the 1970's. Below is a summary of the statistics. 

Intake was going down, live save was going up then Covid hit March 2020 with lockdown. Some probably relinquished animals early in the pandemic as they couldn't afford to keep them without working. Later 2020, 2021 fewer animals came in and more were adopted during Covid as people had more time for pets. Number of spay neuters went down because of Covid lockdown so population increased. After Covid lockdown people went back to work and dumped adopted animals and fosters. Intake went up as did euth rate. Intake is still below 2017 to 2019 levels. Euth is back up above 2017 levels. During this time the Dept budget increased until 2025 when it decreased because of LA City budget issues. A good thing is live save rate is about stable to a little less which is amazing considering increase in intake. Another good thing is spay neuter is now back up to pre Covid levels. (See statistics below with links)

The biggest complaint today is overcrowding in the shelter. The shelter is actually limiting animal intake by refusing some animals. The shelter is overcrowded because the only other immediate alternative is euthanasia. It's damned if you do, damned if you don't. If the Dept euthanizes, people will complain even louder about the euth rate. If they don't, they'll complain about over crowding. Pick your poison. 

Another issue to consider is the addition of the new larger shelters starting in 2006. I was on the Prop F Committee to build the new shelters. I asked how the Department will pay for more employees to take care of a larger shelter which can house more animals. I was told Prop F funds can only be used to build the shelters and not staff or support them. This has caused some field employees to spend more time in the shelter. The animal per employee ratio is also higher than previously.

A recent issue is the economy. Tariffs, rising interest rates, rising rents, uncertain economy have caused people to tighten their budgets. If we go into a recession, it'll get even worse as this generally leads to more animals being dumped and fewer adopted. Another issue is immigrants being deported or self deporting. It costs $350 for a vet visit and airline certificate besides $200 to fly pets back home. Many can't afford it and are leaving pets behind. 

What is the solution to this problem? The Department has been increasing spay neuter post Covid above pre Covid rates. It will take time to get the intake back down. Things will be more difficult now that the budget has been cut 4% compared to 2024. The shelter is working with many different rescue groups with spay neuter, adoptions, foster, grants... Our organization Animal Advocates has worked with the shelter since 2000 so we know all their programs. 

Sadly we are seeing more pleas from the shelters begging us to take animals within the last two months. End of July and August historically is generally the time they have to euthanize animals for space. It's post puppy, kitten season and people dump animals to go on vacation. The shelter has no other options. If anyone would like to help, adopt an animal. Tell people to adopt instead of buying one. Support a rescue group that takes animals from the shelters. Help people so they don't have to dump their animal. This is not the shelter's problem. They are just the dumping ground. It's everyone's problem. Attacking the Department only makes the problem worse. Please, be part of the solution instead and try to help.

STATISTICS

YEAR,  cat/dog intake, save rate, euth, spayneuter partners shelter animals only*

Dec 2024, 39763  84%  5588  18405
Dec 2023, 38606  86%  4731  15772
Dec 2022, 35653 88% 3580  (missing 2022 stats and not all included in 2023 stats)
Dec 2021, 28683 89% 2741 11184 
Dec 2020, 30977 90% 2019 11114 March 2020 Covid lockdown
Dec 2019, 46825 88% 4886 (missing) 
Dec 2018, 44392 -89% 3960 17225 
Dec 2017, 44794  86% 5382 (missing)

I found some older intake rates from a past article I wrote in 2015. https://animaladvocatesmarycummins.blogspot.com/2015/06/some-animal-activists-are-protesting.html

2014/15  44,734 -9% from previous year at this rate
2013/14  50,239 -8% from previous year
2012/13  54,825

Older euthanasia numbers. We're doing so much better today. 

2014/2015  11,579  at this rate -9% from previous year, 23% euth rate
2013/2014  12,683  -25% from previous year, 25% euth rate
2012/2013  17,069  -21% from previous year, 31% euth rate
2011/2012  21,620  37% euth rate (euth/intake)


Chart. I should have started the graph at zero intake so the dip wouldn't look so drastic.




*There were more spays from other programs but this is the one program that existed during all the time periods so I could use it for comparison

BUDGET

2025 30.31 million
2024 31.70
2023 26.94
2022 25.73
2021 23.21
2020 27.16
2019 24.91
2018 23.51
2017 23.98
2016 23.06


Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.


Google+ Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, wildlife, wild, animal, rescue, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife rehabilitator, fish, game, los angeles, california, united states, squirrel, raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat, manual, instructor, speaker, humane, nuisance, control, pest, trap, exclude, deter, green, non-profit, nonprofit, non, profit, ill, injured, orphaned, exhibit, exhibitor, usda, united states department of agriculture, hsus, humane society, peta, ndart, humane academy, humane officer, animal legal defense fund, animal cruelty, investigation, peace officer, animal, cruelty, abuse, neglect #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit Disclaimer: https://animaladvocatesmarycummins.blogspot.com/p/mary-cummins-disclaimer-freedom-of.html
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Monday, February 14, 2011

Brenda Barnette first six months by the numbers, Los Angeles Animal Services

Some have been singing Brenda Barnette's praises since she arrived. Some are saying things are much better. I thought I'd take a look at the numbers to see what's really happening at Los Angeles Animal Services.

Animals given to New Hope partners has increased. Things seem to have gotten worse in all the other categories. Most seems to be due to the increase in animals being dumped at the shelter. Most of this is due to kittens. I'm only looking at cats and dogs combined. I'm comparing Barnette's first six months (August through the end of January) to the same six months the previous year.

Adoptions are down by 986 animals (-8%), 11,799 verses 12,785.

Animals given to New Hope partners (non-profit animal rescue groups that work with the City) is up a whopping 1,162 (+40%), 4,080 verses 2,918. This is a great improvement, kudos. Unfortunately it's the only improvement based on the numbers.

Animals returned to owners is up 129 (+5%), 2,842 verses 2,743. This is due to the increase in intake. As a percentage of intake 10.54% of animals were returned to their owners in the last six months compared to 10.88% compared to last six months from previous year. The difference is actually negligible.

Animals released has increased by 166 (+35%), 633 verses 467. I've never really understood this category but I still count it as an animal released alive.

Animals that died on their own is down 23 (-6%), 368 verses 375. As a percentage of intake it's the same at 1.3% verses 1.4% year previous.

Animals that were dead on arrival (DOA) at intake increased by 62 (+8%), 827 verses 765. As a percentage of intake it's the same at 3% verses 3%.

Animals that escaped is up by 26 (+92%), 54 verses 28. The numbers involved are negligible but still something to look at.

Animals that were euthanized is up 1,189 (+13%), 10,204 verses 9,015. As a percentage of intake it's 37% verses 36% year previous. Not that much of a difference especially when you consider the increase in intake and fewer adoptions to the public.

Animals leaving the shelter alive is up 476 (+2.5%), 19,408 verses 18,941. As a percentage of intake it is actually down, 72% verses 75%. Barnette's goal is to have 85% of the animals leaving alive within the next five years. If our economy improves and we can do something about all the kittens, I see that happening.

Animals leaving the shelter dead is up 1,244 or (+12%), 11,399 verses 10,155. As a percentage of intake it's 42% verses 40% previous year. As a percentage fewer animals leaving alive, more leaving dead. (Animals leaving dead as % + animals leaving alive as % do not = 100% animals taken in during that time period. It seems more animals left the shelter dead and alive than were taken in. This could be because of the timing of baby season. This also means they are keeping higher numbers in the shelter.)

Animals that were brought into the shelters is up by 1,758 (+7%), 26,956 verses 25,198. This is the real problem. In the past five years animal intake is up 9,545 (+20%), 55,780 verses 46,235 (annual intake last 12 months). Intake had been going down for years until the recession hit. It's been going up ever since. Adoptions were increasing until 2009 when we seem to have hit a wall.

Now to look at an always troubling category, kittens. Neonate kitten intake is up 662 (+22%) over the six months year prior. Kitten intake accounted for 38% of the increase in total cat/dog intake. Neonate kitten euth is caused by people not spaying and neutering their own cats or unowned feral cats. People lie when they dump the kittens saying they are strays so they don't have to pay a fee. You can't really tell where they are coming from.

Kitten euth is up 910 (+47%) over the six months year prior. Almost all (+76%) of the increase in total cat/dog euthanasia is attributed to kitten euth, 910 kittens euth'd verses 1,189 total cats/dogs euth'd.

One problem with neonate kittens is that they legally cannot be adopted out until they are eight weeks old. If they are under eight weeks old, they must be adopted out with a mom cat and all the other siblings or through the foster bottle baby program. Because there are so many kittens eight weeks and older, people would rather not adopt an entire family (very expensive) or bottle feed a baby (time consuming). If you can't feed the neonate kitten or adopt it out, you are forced to euth it which is better than letting it starve to death.

I volunteered at the shelter for many years. We'd call five week old kittens eight weeks if they could eat wet food. We'd put solo nursing babies in with a mom cat with other babies. I'm sure the shelter is doing this already.

I believe some of the increase in adult cat/dog intake and euth is caused by our horrible economy i.e., job losses, foreclosures, people being forced to move from homes into smaller rentals that don't allow pets, people doubling up in homes and people who can't afford to spay or neuter their pets. Obviously Barnette did not cause our horrible economy. Still, it's a challenge she must face.

I think she's done a great job increasing New Hope adoptions. I don't know if she recruited more New Hope partners or just found a way to get them to take more animals. Whatever the cause, whoever deserves credit, kudos. Kudos to the actual New Hope partners as well. That's the only real improvement by the numbers. Without that improvement, things would be much worse.

Adoptions to the public are down but I'd venture to say it's because of the economy. One way to increase adoptions is to find a new source of adopters. Go after people who generally buy cats and dogs from pet stores or breeders.

The biggest problem in the shelter right now is kittens. The only way to deal with it is more spay and neuter targeted toward cats, owned and unowned. It should be cheap or free and targeted to lower income areas. Maybe a little enforcement of the mandatory spay and neuter law would help. All of these suggestions are easier said than done.

For the record I am not saying that Barnette caused the problems in the shelter today. These are just challenges she will have to conquer.

A closing note, if you see a pregnant cat or dog, get it spayed. If your friend has a pregnant cat or dog, tell them to get it spayed. Otherwise those babies will most likely end up in the shelter, dead. You can spay, neuter cats and puppies at eight weeks of age. It's easier on them and cheaper for you. They do not need to go into heat or have a litter before being spayed or neutered. Don't forget about bunnies!

Here are some fantastic charts by Sheltertrak.
http://www.sheltertrak.com/stat_laas002.php


Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.


Google+ Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, wildlife, wild, animal, rescue, wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife rehabilitator, fish, game, los angeles, california, united states, squirrel, raccoon, fox, skunk, opossum, coyote, bobcat, manual, instructor, speaker, humane, nuisance, control, pest, trap, exclude, deter, green, non-profit, nonprofit, non, profit, ill, injured, orphaned, exhibit, exhibitor, usda, united states department of agriculture, hsus, humane society, peta, ndart, humane academy, humane officer, animal legal defense fund, animal cruelty, investigation, peace officer, animal, cruelty, abuse, neglect #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit
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