Animal and law enforcement officers will be cracking down on illegal breeding and animal sales in and around Skid Row, it was announced Wednesday.
As part of an effort to prevent animal cruelty, the Los Angeles Police Department and LA Animal Services will have a permanent partnership, the office of LA Mayor Karen Bass announced. The move finalizes the mayor’s pilot program that provided animal cruelty investigation training to police officers.
“Our message is clear: if you abuse or neglect an animal, you will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Bass said in a statement.
In addition to the crackdown, monthly clinics will be available on Skid Row to provide pet parents the opportunity to spay and neuter their pets, vaccinate them and microchip them.
“Not only are we making our pilot program permanent, we’re bringing regular spay and neuter services to Skid Row and building strong partnerships with non-profit groups to deliver real solutions,” the mayor’s statement continued. “We know there is more work to do – we are committed to doing the work and grateful for our partners in those efforts.”
The pilot that was finalized also partners trained LAPD personnel with a dedicated Animal Control Officer to investigate animal cruelty reports, escalating cases to the city attorney and district attorney if such a crime is found and connecting pet owners to essentials like food and tools. To learn more about the program, click here.