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Cats found severely abused across Los Angeles
Volunteers in South Los Angeles say they are finding dogs and cats beaten, shot and dumped in alleyways, raising concerns about ongoing animal abuse.
LOS ANGELES - Disturbing images are raising concerns about animal abuse in Los Angeles, where volunteers say dogs and cats are being beaten, shot and, in some cases, dumped in trash bags in alleyways.
Animal advocates working in South Los Angeles say they have repeatedly discovered the remains of animals while feeding and caring for stray cats in the area.
"We’d be walking down the street and just find a garbage bag with a dog limb," said Amanda Preston, a volunteer with Friends of Normie, a rescue group that works with stray animals in the area.
Volunteers say they have found dogs and cats dead and stuffed into trash bags left in alleys. Over the weekend, they also rescued a cat, now named Albert, who was limping after someone shot it with a BB gun.
"There are a lot of animals being targeted by pellet guns specifically right now," Preston said.
Friends of Normie volunteers say they spend their nights feeding stray cats and working to trap, spay and neuter hundreds of roaming animals each year.
One volunteer, who asked to be identified only as Dee, said the work sometimes draws hostility from people in the area.
"I just do everything for them. I feed them here every night. There’s a lot of people here who hate me for that," Dee said. "They come out, they yell at me. I feel threatened."
Some advocates say they believe animal abuse laws are not being consistently enforced.
"They have these laws in place that they can enforce in terms of animal abandonment, animal negligence and animal abuse," Preston said. "The city is really just choosing not to enforce any of it at this point."
Last week, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom urging the state to intervene, calling conditions for animals on Skid Row an ongoing crisis.
In the letter, PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange wrote that animals in the area are being abused, neglected, bred, sold and even killed in violation of local and state laws.
"We realize that addressing the needs of the humans living on Skid Row is difficult and complex," Lange wrote. "But enforcing existing laws to protect animals is not."
The letter also points to Los Angeles rules that prohibit dog breeding when animal shelters exceed 75% capacity — a threshold PETA says has been surpassed for years. Advocates who work in the area say dogs are still being bred and sold on Skid Row despite the restrictions.
PETA also referenced a task force announced in late 2025 by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass that was intended to increase investigations and enforcement related to animal abuse in the area. The group said advocates reported seeing little follow-up after an initial enforcement action in December.
"The City of Los Angeles has failed to address this emergency," Lange wrote in the letter. "Now the state of California has a responsibility to step in."
In response, Tara Gallegos, chief deputy director of communications for Newsom’s office, said the state does not condone animal abuse.
"The state does not condone mistreatment of animals, which should be protected from abuse or neglect," Gallegos said in a statement to FOX 11. "We urge local communities, including Los Angeles, to address any abuse or neglect occurring within their jurisdiction."
A spokesperson for Bass pushed back on criticism that the city is not taking action.
"It is entirely false and irresponsible to claim that Mayor Bass has not taken action to combat animal abuse on Skid Row," the mayor’s office said in a statement. "Animal abuse is a serious crime. At the direction of Mayor Bass, more than 50 LAPD officers working on Skid Row are now trained to identify and take action against animal abuse."
The mayor’s office added that multiple felony and misdemeanor cases have been filed and that rescued animals have been successfully adopted or placed in foster homes.
"This work will continue," the statement said.
Officials also urged residents to report suspected abuse. Crimes against animals can be reported anonymously to L.A. Crime Stoppers online or by calling 800-222-8477. Anyone witnessing animal abuse in progress should call 911.
Despite those assurances, volunteers say they often feel alone in trying to help animals on the streets.
"I’ve called the city, they don’t do anything. I’ve called the shelters, and they don’t come and help," Dee said.
Preston said much of the work falls on volunteers trying to balance jobs, families and rescue efforts.
"It falls on volunteers like us with jobs and families, just trying to get by while helping these animals along the way," she said.
Friends of Normie says it rescued more than 3,000 cats last year and is seeking more volunteers and donations to continue its work.