Los Angeles’ six city-run animal shelters are closed to the public for the rest of the month due to the coronavirus, along with all L.A. County shelters.
“In alignment with the city of Los Angeles’ activation of emergency operations related to COVID-19, effective immediately, all six Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) centers and the administrative office will be closed to the public through March 31, unless rescinded earlier or extended further,” staff announced Monday night. “Be assured that we will have staff available to feed, clean, and provide enrichment for the animals in our care. Our animal control officers will respond to emergency calls such as dangerous dogs, animal
cruelty, and humane calls.”
During the closure:
— Those wishing to adopt can visit LAanimalServices.com. If you find an animal that you are interested in, call 888-452-7381. Once operations resume, you will be able to come in and meet your new pet and make a final decision to adopt.
— Anyone considering surrendering pets should delay doing so, if possible. If this is not possible and you live in the city of Los Angeles or Beverly Hills, please call your nearest animal services center for information. We are unable to accept community/feral cats and kittens at this time.
— If you find a lost dog or cat that you can care for at your home, please visit this link to review Shelter at Home Guidelines (www.laanimalservices.com/found-pet/) and see how you can help.
— Licenses can be renewed online at www.laanimalservices.com/laws- policies/animal-licenses/).
— Spay/neuter vouchers continue to be available online at www.laanimalservices.com/general-information/spay-neuter/.
Los Angeles County has also closed all its animal shelters and is handling adoptions by appointment only.
Following the city and county actions, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles announced Tuesday that its three local adoption centers are closed to the public immediately.
“(We have) implemented remote working for employees who are able, while animal care givers continue to work in-shelter,” officials said. “All staff, including hourly who are unable to work from home, will receive their regularly scheduled pay during this initial public closure. At the end of the period, the situation will be reassessed, and those sent home initially may be called in for relief. All volunteers have been asked to refrain from coming to the shelters until further notice.”
“We need a well and healthy staff to provide food, veterinary care, and enrichment to our shelter animals during the crisis, and to continue our full spectrum of programs when we are through it,” spcaLA President Madeline Bernstein said.
The closures apply to the following three facilities:
— spcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center, 7700 East Spring St., Long Beach
— spcaLA Pet Adoption Center, 5026 W Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles
— spcaLA South Bay Pet Adoption Center, 12910 Yukon Ave., Hawthorne
Officials with the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA at 361 S. Raymond Ave. announced Tuesday that they are closing as well.
Also, the city of Burbank said Monday night that it has mandated the closure of all public buildings in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, meaning the Burbank Animal Shelter will be closed to the public until April 6.
“During this closure, we ask the public to please refrain from relinquishing owned pets,” the city said in a statement. “In the event you are no longer able to care for your animal, we suggest first reaching out to friends and family for alternative placement. Please also consider other pet placement resources, such as the Rehome (www.rehome.adoptapet.com) program, which allows you to place your pet from your home directly into another.”
Those who find a stray animal are asked to call the shelter to arrange for pickup. Use www.petharbor.com to report lost and/or found animals, or to view animals currently in the Burbank shelter. Pet licensing and animal services requests are available online, at www.burbankanimalshelter.org.
Wildlife information is also available on the Burbank shelter’s website. Residents who find injured or young wildlife should call the shelter to speak with staff. The Burbank Animal Shelter can be reached at 818-238-3340. For after-hours animal-related emergencies only, please call the Burbank Police Department.
