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City officials announced Wednesday they will conduct a performance audit of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services to identify solutions to long-standing problems.
The audit is expected to determine whether the city is providing humane care to the animals. Whether the program maximizes the department’s ability to save animals. and whether the site has the capacity to manage current demand. The Administrator’s Audit Services Department conducts audits with the assistance of consultants specializing in animal shelter operations and veterinary medicine.
“Our audit aims to provide LA Animal Services, the public and policy makers with a detailed understanding of LAAS’ struggles to provide appropriate care. We will identify ways in which we can improve the system both at funding levels and with additional funding,” Controller Kenneth Mejia said in a statement.
“We hope the city can use the results of our audit to improve the lives of the city’s pets,” he added.
The controller’s announcement comes just days after Stacey Daines officially resigned as LAAS general manager after taking paid leave starting in August. The reason for his resignation was not disclosed, and Mr. Daines could not be reached for comment.
Annette Ramirez, who led LAAS on an interim basis for a year and a half until Daines was appointed in 2023, began leading the department again in September.
Daines has addressed volunteer-related issues during her tenure, but the department’s six shelters still face overcrowding and other challenges, most of which had plagued the department long before she arrived. It was something.
About 1,224 dogs were euthanized from January to September, a 72% increase from the same period last year, according to a recent Los Angeles Times analysis. Approximately 1,517 cats were euthanized, a 17% increase from 2023.
Mayor Karen Bass’ office noted that approximately 25,000 animals were adopted or rescued from six shelters across the city, a 17% increase compared to 2023.
LAAS alerted elected officials to challenges to funding and staffing levels. Dogs in shelters may not be walked for weeks or even months at a time, the report said.
According to management officials, the city’s six shelters took in about 39,000 dogs and cats in 2023.
“Its mission is to provide care for L.A.’s animals, and we strive for a 90% savings rate, even though the city recently cut the agency’s operating budget by $1.4 million this fiscal year, to $30.3 million. This is a nearly impossible task given the cuts made to the $5.9 billion total operating budget for all city departments,” Mejia said in a statement.
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