Los Angeles, November 3, 2016 – LA Animal Services (LAAS), Downtown Dog Rescue (DDR), Inner City Law Center (ICLC) and Spay4LA partnered to bring services for pets to the Skid Row community this past Saturday. The Spay4LA mobile vehicle provided wellness check-up and medical services including spay and neuter surgeries. The partnership between LAAS, DDR and ICLC is one of the many efforts by LAAS in support of the Mayor’s Citywide Homeless Strategy (CHS). We were delighted to have Spay4LA join us last weekend.
Brenda Barnette, LA Animal Services General Manager says, “We want everyone, regardless of their financial status, who has a beloved companion animal to have access to health services for their four-legged family member. We are teaming up to provide much needed resources to help the Skid Row community member’s take care of their cherished pets and prevent unwanted litters.”
The Spay4LA staff veterinarian performed 13 spay/neuter surgeries and microchipped, vaccinated and dewormed various cats and dogs. They were also able to do basic wellness exams and check on the skin and ears of several pets.
LAAS supplied free spay/neuter vouchers and helped license all of the dogs who were treated, many received their first time license and a few licenses were updated.
DDR’s dedicated volunteers passed out pet care items to residents such as food, dog beds, pet carriers, collars and leashes. Pet owners also went home with a Little Pine hoodie sweatshirt thanks to generous donation from musician and animal rights activist, Moby.
ICLC provided the space for the clinic to set up outside in the back of their parking lot located in the Skid Row area.
In addition to this mobile event, LAAS, DDR and ICLC offer weekly pet services to the homeless community every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the ICLC office in Skid Row at 1309 E 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90021. The services began in August and to date 200 pet owners have been helped, 46 percent of them homeless.
