'All they want is a cozy bed and person': LA Animal shelters in turmoil as facilities reach maximum capacity

Animal shelters across Los Angeles continue to be packed with animals. 

Three big dogs were crammed inside cages at some LA City animal shelters and many surrenders have been turned away. 

"We are at maximum capacity. We don’t have space for incoming animals," said LA Animal Service Interim GM Annette Ramirez. 

"We are having to limit the number of animals coming into the shelter doors because we don’t have infinite space and we don’t want to be faced with the difficult life and death decisions that will have to be made if we continue to have intakes outpace the number of adoptions coming through our doors," she added. 

A dog named Kannelo was about to be euthanized but was saved last minute thanks to AGWC Rockin’ Rescue. 

"He was there for 10 months and barely got out of the kennel maybe twice a month he was taken out and now he’s here at our rescue and we take him on daily walks and he has improved so well he’s the perfect dog," stated AGWC Rockin' Rescue manager Fabienne Origer.  

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But the animal rescues are also full, with not enough turnover…and often barely surviving off donations. 

So how did it get so bad? 

"The lack of spay and neuter services during COVID because a lot of the medical supplies were being diverted to human hospitals and then people dealing with the housing crisis; people are losing their homes and when people suffer, animals suffer," explained Ramirez.  

With the holidays around the corner and shelters at capacity the need to foster and adopt has never been so dire. 

"It’s heartbreaking to walk through our kennels and see how many great dogs we have that are looking for homes that just need somebody to open up their home."