LOS ANGELES – In response to the City’s ongoing financial crisis, animal services is set to take a substantial hit under the 2025-26 City Budget proposed this Monday. If approved, the department will be $5 million and 80 employees lighter this June.
A $3.6 million cut specifically targeting shelter operations is on the table, even as the City’s only six shelters are operating nearly 200 animals over capacity. On top of these reduced shelter funds, animal control operations are navigating at their lowest costs since 2008-a time when budgeted salaries were higher than current for both operations.
These funding cuts are projected to result in a $300,000 annual loss in animal license revenue-one of the department’s strongest income sources…