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: SPCALA COMPANION ANIMAL SERVICES PROVIDES SAFE SHELTER, NOURISHING FOOD, VETERINARY CARE, AND ENRICHMENT TO THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS, ABUSED, AND OTHERWISE IN-NEED ANIMALS ANNUALLY. VETERINARY SERVICES:IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE VETERINARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT PERFORMED 19,721 SHELTER PET EXAMS, PROCEDURES, AND TREATMENTS, INCLUDING SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES, VACCINATIONS, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WOUND CARE, AND MORE. ADDITIONALLY, SPCALA PROVIDED CARE FOR 423 COMMUNITY ANIMALS AT PUBLIC LOW-COST VACCINE CLINICS.TRAINING & ENRICHMENT:ENRICHMENT 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 SHELTER DOGS AND CATS, MANAGED PROTECTIVE CUSTODY DOGS, AND CONDUCTED ASSESSMENTS FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION HUMANE EDUCATION AS WELL AS OTHER PROGRAMS. THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THE TOOLS THEY NEEDED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET CANINE BODY LANGUAGE, TRAINING METHODS USED AND EXERCISES TAUGHT BY CONDUCTING HELPING ENHANCE ANIMALS' LIVES (HEAL) AND OTHER TRAINING CLASSES.ADOPTION, REUNIFICATION, & RETENTION:FINDING - AND KEEPING - NEW HOMES FOR SHELTER ANIMALS AND RETURNING LOST PETS TO THEIR OWNERS REMAINS PARAMOUNT. A TOTAL OF 2,401 ANIMALS FOUND NEW HOMES, REUNITED WITH THEIR OWNERS, OR TRANSFERRED TO CREDIBLE RESCUE GROUPS, THANKS TO SPCALA'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. FURTHER, SPCALA PROVIDED FOSTER HOMES FOR 468 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 10,566 (NEW AND CONTINUING) STUDENTS IN DOG TRAINING CLASSES.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ALL ASPECTS OF SPCALA PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, SPCALA MAINTAINED ITS STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO CULTIVATING A ROBUST VOLUNTEER BASE, RECRUITING 209 NEW VOLUNTEERS. NEW AND RETURNING VOLUNTEERS DONATED A TOTAL OF 29,956 HOURS OF THEIR TIME IN SUPPORT OF SPCALA PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.PETS WHO NEEDED TEMPORARY IN-HOME CARE (INCLUDING ASN PROGRAM PETS AND SURVIVORS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY) WERE CARED FOR BY FOSTER VOLUNTEERS, WHO DONATED 15,599 HOURS OF THEIR TIME IN FISCAL YEAR 2023.IN THE SHELTERS, VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE INVALUABLE ENRICHMENT TO SHELTER PETS, REDUCING THEIR STRESS AND MAKING THEM MORE DESIRABLE TO POTENTIAL ADOPTERS. SHELTER DOGS ENJOYED 10,640 HOURS OF TRAINING AND SOCIALIZING WITH VOLUNTEERS, WHILE SHELTER CATS BENEFITTED FROM 4,308 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME. 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.

ANIMAL PROTECTION SERVICE PROGRAM (APS):SPCALA IS THE ONLY ANIMAL WELFARE AGENCY IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES THAT IS ALSO LAW ENFORCEMENT. PROGRAM AREAS INCLUDE: ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATIONS IN WHICH SPCALA HUMANE OFFICERS INVESTIGATE ANIMAL CRUELTY AND ASSIST IN THE PROSECUTION OF INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS WHO NEGLECT OR ABUSE ANIMALS ANYWHERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, APS STAFF FIELDED 5,058 CALLS WHICH RESULTED IN 91 FORMAL COMPLAINTS. IN THE COURSE OF THEIR INVESTIGATIONS, SPCALA HUMANE OFFICERS CHECKED ON THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OVER 1,125 ANIMALS. MOST COMPLAINTS WERE FOUND TO HAVE NO VIOLATION, OR WERE RESOLVED THROUGH EDUCATION, PREVENTION, OR REFERRAL TO ANOTHER AGENCY. NO NEW CRIMINAL CASES WERE SUBMITTED FOR PROSECUTION CONSIDERATION. SPCALA HUMANE OFFICERS FREQUENTLY AID IN OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THE EXECUTION OF SEARCH WARRANTS, WHEN ANIMALS ARE KNOWN TO BE PRESENT OR ANIMAL CRUELTY IS SUSPECTED. NON-ANIMAL CRUELTY RELATED WARRANTS INCLUDE NARCOTICS RAIDS AND CHOP SHOPS, AMONG OTHER CRIMES. IN THESE CASES, SPCALA HUMANE OFFICERS WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE ENTRY TEAM AND TASKED WITH THE CONTAINMENT AND CONFINEMENT OF ANY DOGS ON THE PROPERTY. SPCALA HUMANE OFFICERS SERVE TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY BOTH OF THE DOGS AND THE OFFICERS ON THE SCENE, MITIGATING THE DANGER OF PETS AND GUARD DOGS BEING SHOT BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHO MAY BE INEXPERIENCED IN THE HANDLING OF ANIMALS IN SUCH SITUATION. IN OTHER INSTANCES, SPCALA EXPERTISE IN INVESTIGATING ANIMAL CRUELTY IS REQUESTED, FREQUENTLY INVOLVING BLOODSPORTS (E.G. COCKFIGHTING, DOGFIGHTING). SPCALA'S DISASTER ANIMAL RESPONSE TEAM (DART) IN WHICH SPCALA RESCUES AND PROVIDES TEMPORARY SHELTER AND FRONT-LINE VETERINARY CARE FOR ANIMALS DURING EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS ON A LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.

VIOLENCE PREVENTION HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAMS AIM TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITIES AS ONE WAY TO PREVENT ANIMAL CRUELTY AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE. THE PROGRAM DOES 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 2023, SPCALA EXTENDED CONCEPTS OF EMPATHY AND COMPASSION TO OVER 1,900 YOUTH, ADULTS, AND CHILDREN THROUGH A HOST OF OFFERINGS.TEACHING LOVE & COMPASSION (TLC) AND THE COURT DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR YOUTH:TLC IS A PROGRAM FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH THAT OFFERS A SMALL-GROUP FORMAT WHICH COMBINES SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING WITH ANIMAL WELFARE LESSONS AND HANDS-ON POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT TRAINING WITH SHELTER DOGS. SPCALA DEVELOPED TLC OVER 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 ATTORNEYS' OFFICE AND OTHER JUVENILE JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS. LAUNCHED IN 2011, THE DIVERSION PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY A POST-CONVICTION REHABILITATION INITIATIVE FOR YOUTH. WITH THE SUPPORT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE DIVERSION PROGRAM HAS SINCE FOCUSED ON PRE-ARREST DIVERSION IN THE HOPES OF PREVENTING YOUTH FROM ENTERING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, SPCALA RESUMED TLC PROGRAMMING (PREVIOUSLY ON-HOLD DUE TO THE PANDEMIC) AND HELD TWO SESSIONS AT GRAVES MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SOUTH WHITTIER. ADDITIONALLY, SPCALA OFFERED THREE DIVERSION SESSIONS FOR JUSTICE-SYSTEM INVOLVED YOUTH.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. THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, SPCALA TOOK STEPS TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO OTHERS IN CRISIS INCLUDING THOSE EXPERIENCING TEMPORARY HOMELESSNESS, OR THOSE ENTERING TREATMENT FACILITIES. IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, SPCALA HOUSED 66 ASN PETS HELPING 47 FAMILIES, WHICH INCLUDED 35 CHILDREN. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR ASN PETS WAS 72 DAYS. OUT OF THE 47 CLIENTS HELPED, 25 WERE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS, 12 WERE UNHOUSED, 9 WERE IN TREATMENT OR RECOVERY AND ONE WAS A VETERAN.ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING:SPCALA FRIENDS FOR LIFE SUMMER CAMP RETURNED, HOSTING 210 YOUTH OVER THE COURSE OF SIX, ONE-WEEK SESSIONS. SPCALA OFFERED FULL SCHOLARSHIPS TO 40 LONG BEACH AREA YOUTH FOR A SPECIAL SEVENTH WEEK OF CAMP, WITH EXPANDED HOURS, CURRICULUM, MEALS, AND TRANSPORTATION, MADE POSSIBLE BY A PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING GRANT. ADDITIONALLY, SPCALA CONTINUES TO OFFER PET CARE PATCH WORKSHOPS, ONLINE PRESENTATIONS, AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR YOUTH AND EDUCATORS.