Dear Mayor Bass and City Council Members,

We, the undersigned residents and animal advocates of Los Angeles, are writing to express urgent concern about the proposed 2025–2026 City of Los Angeles budget and its devastating implications for animals under the care of Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS).

The proposed LAAS budget falls gravely short of meeting the needs of our city’s already overstretched animal shelters. Currently, LAAS shelters are operating at 155% capacity. Dogs are doubled and tripled in kennels meant for single animals, creating not only stress and suffering but also increased aggression, illness, and a higher risk of euthanasia. The data is already dire: euthanasia of dogs rose 72% from last year, with over 1,200 dogs euthanized from January to September 2024.

But cats are being overlooked in this crisis, too.

Thousands of cats enter the LAAS system each year, and they often face worse outcomes than dogs. Overcrowded shelters, inadequate enrichment, and poor disease control mean that even healthy cats are at risk. Many shelters do not have enough staff to provide basic care, and without funding for feline enrichment and dedicated staff, cats are often left isolated and stressed, making them less adoptable and more likely to be euthanized.

If this budget is passed without amendments, the result will be catastrophic for both dogs and cats:

--Continued overcrowding and understaffing, exacerbating already inhumane conditions.
--Reduction or elimination of critical enrichment programs that help animals maintain their mental and physical health.
--A likely increase in euthanasia rates, particularly among cats, who already face disproportionately low adoption and high euthanasia rates.
--Closure of shelters, which would displace thousands of animals and devastate communities that rely on those services.

We call on the the City of Los Angeles to:
--Fully fund all requested animal care technician positions.
--Allocate adequate resources for both canine and feline enrichment programs.
--Address shelter overcrowding by expanding capacity or reopening shuttered facilities.
--Ensure proper medical care, nutrition, and behavioral support for all animals.
--Take urgent steps to reduce euthanasia through spay/neuter initiatives, adoption campaigns, and partnerships with rescue organizations.

Mayor Bass and City Council–the animals of Los Angeles have no voice but ours. Please, listen to the communities who care about their well-being. No animal should suffer or die because of a budget shortfall.

We urge you to revise the proposed budget and no animals go without care and no lives are lost due to preventable neglect.

With compassion and urgency,