The Los Angeles City Council passed a temporary moratorium on dog breeding permits Monday.
A council committee had already approved the temporary ban last week.
L.A. Animal Services says that their shelters are 210% over capacity, with 1,551 dogs living in accommodations meant for 737 dogs.
“Each day now, just one more dog stays in the shelter than leaves it,” Animal Services officials stated, citing statistics that show an average of 47 dogs entering shelters each day, compared to 46 leaving. “If just three additional dogs left the shelters each day, LAAS would get down to within its built capacity in under nine months.”
Animal advocates have been attending recent council meetings demanding a halt to breeding while calling for an increase in spay and neuter programs and adoption campaigns.
Staycee Dains, Los Angeles Animal Services general manager, says there are several ways for Angelenos to help shelters in need.
“My message to people who are concerned about what’s happening in our shelters is to come and volunteer,” Dains said. “To foster an animal, to adopt an animal and to donate…that is the only way we are going to be able to turn the tide in our shelters.”