The Los Angeles City Council approved a temporary lock on dog breeding permits attempting to address overpopulation at the 6 city run animal shelters.
Many organizations and people are supportive of this temporary ban on permits to breed dogs.
Senior VP of PETA, Lisa Lange said this was a step in the right direction to ensure the safety of animals in Los Angeles.
Lange: Well, it’s criminal that anyone would breed dogs. While there are so many homeless ones in our Los Angeles shelters. And now it is officially criminal to breed dogs in the city of Los Angeles. And we’re thrilled. It’s a good first step. It is not the answer. But it’s a good first step.
PETA also known as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is a nonprofit animal rights organization and is the largest animal rights organization in the world. Its mission is to end abusive treatment in society and promote consideration of animal interests.
According to a press release from city council member Eunisses Hernandez.
Animal Services issued more than 1,100 breeding permits for just the first half of this year. High rates of breeding in the city can lead to less resources for dogs in shelters.
Lange said dogs in city shelters aren’t treated well.
Lange: Animals were being kept in cages for months, many animals were being turned away, none of the prevention was getting done, meaning spay neuter. And then of course, we got hit with the pandemic, which meant that people got animals and then when they went back to work in school, they turned them into the shelters, which is something we also warned about. You have to bring the population down through prevention and adoption. And none of that was done. So here we are.
The ban will stay in place until the number of dogs in city shelters is reduced for three months.
In the same press release city council member Hernandez said, “It is unacceptable for the city to continue issuing breeding permits while thousands of animals are suffering from overcrowded conditions in shelters. This is a critical step to help mitigate the inflow of pets into our shelters and ensure that animals in our care are able to find forever homes.”