LA Budget Crisis May Force Closure of Half the City's Animal Shelters
Residents protest as city faces $1 billion deficit and potential layoffs
Los Angeles is facing a severe budget crisis that could result in the closure of nearly half of the city's animal shelters. The proposed budget cuts come as the city grapples with a nearly $1 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. Over 100 residents gathered to protest these potential closures during a recent Budget and Finance Committee meeting, expressing concerns about the impact on animal welfare and emergency services.
Mayor Karen Bass's budget proposal includes significant reductions across city departments, with plans to cut more than 2,700 city positions and implement 1,647 layoffs. For Los Angeles Animal Services specifically, the proposal would eliminate 122 positions, representing a 33% reduction to what protesters described as an already underfunded department. The current $30 million budget for animal services could be reduced to $25 million under the new plan.
KEY POINTS
- •Half of LA animal shelters may close
- •City faces $1 billion budget deficit
- •1,647 city layoffs proposed
Residents voiced particular concern about the West Valley shelter, which is the only facility that accommodates farm animals during emergencies such as wildfires. Protesters highlighted that approximately 42,000 animal lives depend on these services annually. The potential closure of three out of the city's six shelters would significantly reduce the city's capacity to care for abandoned, stray, and displaced animals.
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