LA County Quietly Sentencing Thousands of Animals to Death

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Proposed ordinance could thwart animal sanctuaries’ ability to save animals

Los Angeles, CA, August 3, 2010 — D.E.L.T.A. Rescue (http://www.deltarescue.org), the largest no-kill, care-for-life sanctuary in the world, wants Los Angeles County residents to know a proposed ordinance quietly being pushed through the county code process stands to put thousands of rescued animals in harm’s way – but it’s not too late to stop it.

For 30 years, abandoned pets in southern California have received a second chance from the 501(c)(3) nonprofit D.E.L.T.A. Rescue. The only facility providing lifelong, no-kill care to rescued dogs and cats, D.E.L.T.A. Rescue is home to 1,500 animals that were left to die in the wilderness. But now, as a direct result of little-known proposed amendments to Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code, animal sanctuaries countywide could be limited to caring for only 50 dogs and cats – and ultimately forced to surrender all the other unwanted animals to an already overburdened county shelter system. It’s effectively a death sentence for thousands of dogs and cats.

Concerned citizens can help ensure the proposed 50-animal limitation is dropped. Actor and lifelong animal activist Leo Grillo, founder of D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, urges L.A. County residents who care about animals to contact the five county supervisors and other county officials to express their opposition to the 50-animal limit on kennel licenses.

“If passed, the changes to Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code will require all facilities with over 50 dogs and cats to sell, transfer or relinquish all animals above that limit of 50 within 30 days,” Grillo explained. “Rescued animals are not always easy to place, and we’re talking about thousands of dogs and cats throughout the county. Realistically, most of those animals will end up in the pound, where they will be euthanized simply because there is no space for them.”

While Grillo and the D.E.L.T.A. Rescue team are vehemently opposed to the numerical limit on kennel licenses, they support other proposed changes to Title 10, including requirements for facilities to maintain approved emergency evacuation plans and to have 24-hour staff on site.

“We applaud the county’s attempt to make sure animals receive proper care,” Grillo stated. “However, limiting responsible, established rescue facilities to 50 dogs and cats contradicts the county’s stated mission of preserving and protecting public and animal safety. D.E.L.T.A. Rescue stands ready to assist the county in that mission as we have for 30 years, but we cannot do so if the ordinance passes as proposed. We need the public’s help to keep providing safe haven for the pets abandoned to the harsh conditions of the southern California wilderness.”

To learn more about the proposed changes to Title 10 of the Los Angeles County Code and help get the word out, contact D.E.L.T.A. Rescue at P.O. Box 9, Glendale, CA, 91209 or visit http://www.deltarescue.org.

Members of the community are urged to contact LA County supervisors and officials to voice their opposition to the kennel license cap at the following emails and telephone numbers:

The Supervisors:

Gloria Molina, Molina@bos.lacounty.gov, (213) 974-4111

Mark Ridley-Thomas, SecondDistrict@bos.lacounty.gov, (213) 974-2222

Zev Yaroslavsky, ZYarosla@lacbos.org, (213) 974-3333

Don Knabe, DKnabe@lacbos.org, (213) 974-4444

Michael Antonovich, MAntonovich@lacbos.org, (213) 974-5555

Other Officials:

William Fujioka, Chief Executive Office, BFujioka@ceo.lacounty.gov, (213) 974-1101

Raymond Fortner, County Counsel, RFortner@counsel.lacounty.gov, (213) 974-1811

James Bell, Dept. of Regional Planning, JBell@planning.lacounty.gov, (213) 974-8480