The national No Kill Advocacy Center and two animal rescuers have jointly filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County, its Department of Animal Care and Control, and the Department’s Director, Marcia Mayeda. The lawsuit alleges unlawful and abusive treatment of animals at all six Los Angeles County animal shelters.

Among the allegations in the 29-page complaint filed in Superior Court, the County Department of Animal Care and Control routinely:

Kills healthy and treatable animals before their state mandated holding period expires;

Misclassifies animals as “ill” or “injured” in order to kill them before their holding period expires even though the animals are not irremediably suffering as required by state law;

Kills lost animals without making reasonable attempts to find the animals’ owners;

Fails to provide adequate veterinary care to impounded animals, resulting in animal deaths;

Fails to provide adequate nutrition, water, shelter and exercise to impounded animals and to treat the animals humanely and kindly;

Refuses to release animals to rescue groups that are willing to care for the animals until adoptive homes can be found and, instead, kills the animals.

In addition, the County Department of Animal Care and Control unlawfully retaliates against animal rescuers and volunteers who publicize its unlawful treatment of animals.

For a copy of the press release, which includes background on the 1998 Animal Shelter Law, click here (Please note: Images are disturbing.)

For a copy of the Complaint, click here.

For a copy of the Demand letter, click here.

For a copy of the Retaliation letter, click here.

For video images (mpg4) of filthy conditions at the Carson shelter, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing. Requires Quicktime)

For video images (wav) of filthy conditions at the Carson shelter, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing. Requires Windows Media Player)

For photo images (jpg) of filthy conditions at the Carson shelter, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing)

For additional photo images of filthy conditions at the Carson shelter provided by the public, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing)

For photo images (jpg) at the Agoura shelter, click here.

For photo images of Zephyr, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing)

For the full media kit, which includes a copy of the 4-page Demand Letter the plaintiffs sent to Ms. Mayeda before filing their lawsuit, the 3-page letter protesting the Department’s retaliation, the 29-page Complaint, and high resolution images and video of filthy conditions and animal suffering in Los Angeles County’s shelter system, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing. Requires high-speed internet connection and lots of patience as it is a very large file.)

Please help us pay for the legal costs. To donate by check or make a secure online donation, click here.