Los Angeles S P C A

SPCALA IS DEDICATED TO THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS THROUGH EDUCATION, LAW ENFORCEMENT, INTERVENTION AND ADVOCACY.

COMPANION ANIMAL SERVICES: AS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SLOWLY EMERGED FROM THE PANDEMIC, SO TOO DID SPCALA, OFFERING MODIFIED IN-PERSON PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, IN-SHELTER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, AND EXPANDED PET ADOPTIONS. ANIMAL SHELTER SERVICES PROVIDE SHELTER, VETERINARY CARE, REHABILITATION, AND SOCIALIZATION FOR HOMELESS AND ABUSED ANIMALS. VETERINARY SERVICESIN FISCAL YEAR 2021, SPCALA VETERINARIANS AND STAFF PERFORMED A TOTAL OF 1,994 EXAMS AND 6,850 VETERINARY PROCEDURES FOR SHELTER PETS, INCLUDING VACCINATIONS, WOUND CARE, MEDICATED BATHS, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, AND SURGERY, AMONG OTHERS. SPCALA HELD LOW-COST VACCINE CLINICS IN OCTOBER 2020 AND JUNE 2021, HELPING COMMUNITY ANIMALS WHOSE OWNERS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD THE SERVICE OTHERWISE.TRAINING & ENRICHMENTENRICHMENT AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES HELP ANIMALS COPE WITH THE INEVITABLE STRESS AND ANXIETY INHERENT IN SHELTER LIFE MOST STRIKINGLY IMPORTANT TO SURVIVORS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. THE SPCALA ANIMAL BEHAVIOR & TRAINING DEPARTMENT WORKED DIRECTLY WITH 475 DOGS, 12 CATS, MANAGED 16 PROJECT AND PROTECTIVE CUSTODY DOGS, ASSESSED 30 DOGS FOR HUMANE EDUCATION AND SHELTER PROGRAMS, AND CONDUCTED 23 HANDLING ASSESSMENTS. THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THE TOOLS THEY NEEDED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET CANINE BODY LANGUAGE, TRAINING METHODS USED AND EXERCISES TAUGHT. ADOPTION, REUNIFICATION, & RETENTIONFINDING AND KEEPING NEW HOMES FOR SHELTER ANIMALS AND RETURNING LOST PETS TO THEIR OWNERS REMAINS PARAMOUNT. SPCALA FOUND ADOPTIVE HOMES FOR 1,122 SHELTER PETS, REUNITED 192 LOST PETS WITH THEIR FAMILIES, PLACED 90 ANIMALS WITH TRUSTED RESCUE PARTNERS, AND PROVIDED FOSTER HOMES FOR 438 ANIMALS IN NEED OF TEMPORARY PLACEMENT. TRAINING, AGILITY, AND SPECIALTY CLASSES INCREASE THE ABILITY OF ADOPTERS TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR PETS AND ENHANCE THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND. TO THAT END, SPCALA ENROLLED 9,141 (NEW AND CONTINUING) STUDENTS IN DOG TRAINING CLASSES. SPCALA ALSO OFFERED ONLINE PRIVATE TRAINING CLASSES AND A SERIES OF FREE WEBINARS FOR DOG OWNERS. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEPARTMENT ASSISTED 1,409 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WITH BEHAVIORAL ISSUES VIA SPCALA'S FREE BEHAVIOR HELPLINE.

ANIMAL PROTECTION SERVICE PROGRAM: ANIMAL PROTECTION SERVICE PROGRAM (APS) INVESTIGATES ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, AND ASSISTS IN THE PROSECUTION OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO NEGLECT OR ABUSE ANIMALS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, APS STAFF FIELDED 4,744 CALLS, WHICH RESULTED IN 26 FORMAL COMPLAINTS. IN THE COURSE OF THEIR DUTIES, ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATORS CHECKED ON THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OVER 1,661 ANIMALS. MOST COMPLAINTS WERE FOUND TO HAVE NO VIOLATION, OR WERE RESOLVED THROUGH EDUCATION, PREVENTION, OR REFERRAL TO ANOTHER AGENCY. HOWEVER, THREE NEW CRIMINAL CASES WERE FILED, AND TWO OTHERS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS. SPCALA HUMANE OFFICERS FREQUENTLY AID OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE EXECUTION OF SEARCH WARRANTS, WHEN ANIMALS ARE KNOWN TO BE PRESENT OR ANIMAL CRUELTY IS SUSPECTED. IN SOME CASES, SPCALA HUMANE OFFICERS WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE ENTRY TEAM AND TASKED WITH THE CONTAINMENT AND CONFINEMENT OF ANY DOGS ON THE PROPERTY TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY BOTH OF THE DOGS AND THE OFFICERS. IN OTHER INSTANCES, SPCALA EXPERTISE IN INVESTIGATING ANIMAL CRUELTY IS REQUESTED. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, SPCALA ASSISTED IN THE EXECUTION OF ONE SUCH SEARCH WARRANT. SPCALA'S DISASTER ANIMAL RESPONSE TEAM (DART), HEADED BY SPCALA'S CAPTAIN OF ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATIONS, RESPONDS TO THE CALL FOR AID FROM LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL NGOS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN THE WAKE OF DISASTERS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, DART MEMBERS RESPONDED TO A STATEWIDE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES (CALOES) REQUEST INITIATED BY EL DORADO COUNTY OFFICIALS AND DEPLOYED TO THE DEVASTATING CALDOR FIRE NEAR LAKE TAHOE. DURING THE COURSE OF THE SEVEN (7) DAY DEPLOYMENT, DART MEMBERS WORKED TIRELESSLY AND WERE INVOLVED DIRECTLY WITH ANIMAL SERVICES COORDINATION, ANIMAL RESCUES, PET OWNER ESCORTS, WELFARE CHECKS, ANIMAL CARE, ANIMAL TRANSPORT, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPLIES.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH SERVICES: SPCALA HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WHETHER DELIVERED IN-PERSON OR VIRTUALLY, AIM TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES AS ONE WAY TO PREVENT ANIMAL CRUELTY AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE. WE DO THIS BY: ENGAGING YOUTH AND CHILDREN IN EMPATHY-BASED ANIMAL WELFARE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING; ENCOURAGING YOUTH ADVOCACY FOR ANIMALS, OTHERS, AND THEMSELVES; OFFERING VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR ADULTS AND FAMILIES.IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, SPCALA CONTINUED TO EXTEND CONCEPTS OF EMPATHY AND COMPASSION TO YOUTH, CHILDREN, AND ADULTS THROUGH A RANGE OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING: TEACHING LOVE AND COMPASSION (TLC); COURT DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR YOUTH; ANIMAL SAFETY NET; FRIENDS FOR LIFE SUMMER CAMP; CUSTOM PRESENTATIONS BY REQUEST; AND CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ONLINE. TLC & THE SPCALA COURT DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR YOUTHTLC IS A PROGRAM FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH THAT OFFERS A SMALL-GROUP FORMAT THAT COMBINES SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING WITH ANIMAL WELFARE LESSONS AND HANDS-ON POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT TRAINING WITH SHELTER DOGS. SPCALA DEVELOPED TLC TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, AND HAS SUCH SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS WITH IT WE NOW ALSO OFFER THE SPCALA COURT DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR YOUTH. THE DIVERSION PROGRAM IS AN ANIMAL-ASSISTED INTERVENTION PROGRAM MODELED AFTER TLC BUT SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR JUSTICE SYSTEM-INVOLVED YOUTH REFERRED BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND OTHER JUVENILE JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, SPCALA OFFERED VIRTUAL FORMATTING FOR TLC, AND IMPLEMENTED A VIRTUAL FAMILY NIGHT FOR TLC PARTNER SCHOOLS INVOLVING PARTICIPANTS, THEIR PARENTS/GUARDIANS, AND PETS. SPCALA RAN FOUR IN-PERSON SESSIONS OF THE COURT DIVERSION PROGRAM, REACHING 14 STUDENTS. ANIMAL SAFETY NET (ASN)DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS WILL OFTEN NOT LEAVE A SITUATION OF ABUSE IF IT MEANS THEY MUST LEAVE THEIR PETS BEHIND. ABUSERS OFTEN THREATEN, HARM, OR KILL PETS TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. SINCE 1998, THE SPCALA ANIMAL SAFETY NET (ASN): PET HOUSING PROGRAM HAS WORKED TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE BY PROVIDING SAFE, TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR THE PETS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS. SPCALA HOUSED 28 ASN PETS 16 DOGS, 10 CATS, AND ONE OTHER FROM 23 FAMILIES, WHICH INCLUDED 37 CHILDREN, IN FISCAL YEAR 2021. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR ASN PETS WAS 66 DAYS. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMINGSPCALA CREATED A BEVY OF PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES - ALL DELIVERED VIRTUALLY INCLUDING WOOF & WIFI (IN WHICH KIDS LEARN TO TRAIN THEIR OWN PET DOGS), WORKSHOPS FOR PARENTS, AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, SPCALA OFFERED A MODIFIED IN-PERSON FRIENDS FOR LIFE SUMMER CAMP, REACHING 75 YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 9 AND 13.

VOLUNTEER SERVICES: DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THE MAJORITY OF VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY WAS RELEGATED FOSTER AND REMOTE OPPORTUNITIES. HOWEVER, SPCALA BEGAN STRATEGICALLY PHASING VOLUNTEERS BACK TO IN-SHELTER WORK TOWARD THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2021.FOSTER VOLUNTEERS BECAME A LIFELINE TO MANY ANIMALS IN OUR CARE DURING THE PANDEMIC PROVIDING THEM SAFE, TEMPORARY SHELTER AS SPCALA WORKED TO FIND THEM FOREVER HOMES OR RETURN THEM TO THEIR FAMILIES, AS IN THE CASE OF ANIMAL SAFETY NET (ASN) PETS. FOSTER VOLUNTEERS DONATED 16,163 HOURS OF THEIR TIME, CARING FOR 435 PETS.SHELTER DOGS ENJOYED 388 HOURS TRAINING AND SOCIALIZING WITH VOLUNTEERS. SHELTER CATS BENEFITTED FROM 122 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME SOCIALIZING AND TRAINING, AS WELL AS PROVIDING FOOD AND CLEANING THEIR ENCLOSURES. VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE INVALUABLE ENRICHMENT TO SHELTER PETS: REDUCING STRESS AND HELPING TO MAKE PETS MORE DESIRABLE TO POTENTIAL ADOPTERS. IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH SPECIFIC TYPES OF ANIMALS AND PROGRAMS, VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED IN THE DAY-TO-DAY CARE OF SHELTER ANIMALS THROUGH CLEANING, FEEDING AND, GROOMING; ASSISTED IN OFFICE ACTIVITIES; DID MOUNTAINS OF LAUNDRY; AND ASSISTED VETERINARY SERVICES.