LA Animal Services: Helping Lost Dogs and Cats During COVID-19
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LA Animal Services Media Contacts:
Agnes Sibal-von Debschitz, (213) 482-9512 or agnes.sibal@lacity.org
Justin Khosrowabadi, (213) 482-9551 or justin.khosrowabadi@lacity.org
LA Animal Services: Helping Lost Dogs and Cats During COVID-19 
Los Angeles, April 1, 2020 – During the COVID-19 pandemic, LA Animal Services will not turn away any sick or injured animal. To ensure our Centers have life-saving space for these animals, we are asking the community for help when they can.
Finding a Lost Dog or Cat
Most lost dogs or cats who have gotten out of their yard or home, are often lost and wandering in their own neighborhood. Posting a photo and description of the found pet on Nextdoor, Pawboost, or Shadowapp is an effective way to reunite the pet with his or her family.
Another way Angelenos can help is to consider our Shelter-at-Home Program and foster the dog or cat, while searching for the owner. It’s a great program by which the “Finder” sends LA Animal Services a picture of the found animal and has the animal scanned for a microchip at an open veterinary clinic or hospital. LA Animal Services then posts the lost pet’s picture on our website’s “Found by the Public” pages for dogs and cats. When a possible owner calls, our staff will get the information and set the time for the “Finder” to bring the pet to the Center so the possible owner can see the found dog or cat. According to an ASPCA survey, about half of missing dogs and a third of missing cats were found by searching their local neighborhoods.
“We are also taking in pets whose owner has died leaving them alone, as well as taking in pets whose owner lives alone and is too sick to care for them,” said Brenda Barnette, General Manager for LA Animal Services. “As part of our ongoing commitment to the residents and the City of Los Angeles, our Officers also respond to calls for people and pets in danger, while our staff in our Animal Services Centers provides enrichment for the animals in our care, continues to process the adoption and fostering of pets, and reuniting lost animal companions with their families by appointment.”
If you have an emergency with a sick or injured animal, please call the nearest Animal Services Center ahead of time to let us know you are arriving and describe the emergency. We will get all of the information we need and will be able to meet you in the parking area if there are no appointments available.
To find your nearest LA Animal Services Center or to find out more about Shelter-at-Home and the resources available to you, visit laanimalservices.com.
Partnering with Local Cat Rescues
To assist with the caring of underage kittens LA Animal Services has made arrangements with three cat Rescue groups to take the kittens who need bottle feeding if you cannot care for them at home. LA Animal Services also has a kitten foster manual available online, view the manual by clicking here.
If you need help and can’t care for the kittens, call the closest shelter, tell them you need help with kittens and give them your name, address and phone number. A volunteer from a kitten rescue group will call you within 30 minutes and arrange to meet you to take the kittens.
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Los Angeles Department of Animal Services is one of the largest municipal shelter systems in the United States with six services centers serving approximately 60,000 animals annually and responding to 20,000 emergency calls involving an animal or person in danger. LA Animal Services promotes and protects the health, safety, and welfare of animals and people. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
