Update on this story; We recently acquired another little kitty, identical to this unfortunate kitten we had put down, but this one is older. We think she is the mother of this little kitten. We took her to the vet, had her spayed, immunized, and de-wormed. Her name is Dammit. Now that we have thrown down over $400 for these two cats, I wonder if I should attach that bill the next time Animal Control sends us  a bill for our animal registration.

This is Dammit. Behind her is Baby Davy. All of our animals are fixed, immunized, and NEVER allowed outside.

I do NOT support defunding of police. I do NOT support the defunding of ANY law enforcement and that includes our Animal Control Officers. That being said we did have an unfortunate encounter at the Lancaster California Animal Control Facility last week. I detailed this encounter in a letter that was sent out to various entities. This is not  the first time I have mailed such a letter after dealing with an injured, abandoned, sick animal in my neighborhood. This is that letter;

To:

Kathryn Barger Board of Supervisors Antelope Valley 5^th District

Tom Lackey State Assembly District 36

Scott Wilk State Senate District 21

Mike Garcia Congress District 25

L.A Times

A.V. Press

From:

Loretta A Smalls Retired Aircraft Fueler Animal Rescuer Concerned Citizen

We recently had a puzzling, confusing, and heartbreaking encounter at the Lancaster Animal Care and Control center on Ave. I Lancaster California on Tuesday morning, October 27, 2020. We found a tiny kitten the night before in our back yard. He was searching for food, and I was letting my dog out at the time I saw him. We managed to get this very feral kitten into a cat carrier and held him overnight in our bathroom to keep him separate from our other rescue kitties. This little guy was unapproachable, and hissed at us vociferously if we tried to approach him, so we named him Hissy Fit. He did eat and drink okay as he was obviously starving but we knew with the six cats we already have and our one dog we could not take anymore. So the following morning we brought him to Lancaster A.C. I had actually just been there a week before with another cat I found on Ave. H coming back from the fairgrounds around 9 P:M. He had been hit by a car but was on the road still alive so I scooped him up and brought him home. I did not expect him to make it through the nigh but by morning this poor animal was still alive so we named him Pancake. The Lancaster A.C did take him in and I know they would just euthanize him and I get that. Best thing for him really.

Imagine our surprise this time when the officer at the window came out and said they are not taking in any kittens because of the COVID-19. What are we supposed to do with this very feral kitten? The next response was completely unexpected and particularly hypocritical. He simply told us to take the kitten a couple of houses down and let him go. I pointed to him how tiny this guy was and he stated that the kitten looked like he was already weaned, at least a couple of months old, and let nature takes it’s course. How can animal control expect people to be responsible for their actions if animal control is no longer responsible? We were not about to just turn this animal back out into the cold so we took him to our Veterinarian at the High Desert Animal Care Hospital. We were prepared to take full responsibility for the health care, and the neutering of this kitten. But our Veterinarian came out and said this animal was actually very ill and has respiratory issues and could possibly be contagious. So we had the kitten put down. Lord only knows the the status of his litter mates or where this kitten actually came from. Perhaps the kitten was dumped off at our house following the same advice given us by the animal control officer, who knows.

What I do know is that I have been before three of you before with the problems we are having with abandoned animals in Lake Los Angeles, and with the overpopulation of unwanted animals at our shelters and animal rescues. I have presented possible solutions but three of you; Barger, Wilk, and Lackey; have basically ignored me. So here we go again. If things are so dire at our animal control centers that they are not only turning away animals (and no I don’t buy the COVID-19 excuse) but possibly dumping animals themselves, then things have gotten way out of control. And what exactly does COVID-19 have to do with rescuing animals anyway? If our veterinarian can open her doors to anyone who genuinely wants to help an animal, then why can’t animal control? She had strict protocol in place as far as masks, social distancing, having folks stay in their cars, and it was very effective. COVID-19 did not stop her from doing what she could for this little tiny kitten, who, regardless of age or weaning stage, was very tiny, very hungry, very sick. Our Veterinarian also runs a rescue organization in Littlerock. She is a true animal hero and has earned her mettle with all the unselfish, and genuine love she has for her animals, and has helped us many times before with ferals, and other animals.

This is on the website of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control;

https://animalcare.lacounty.gov/dacc-operations-during-covid-19-pandemic/

Again I fail to see what COVID-19 has to do with bringing in found stray animals but to me it seems COVID-19 has been the ‘go to’ excuse for basically not dealing with complicated issues like abused, abandoned, and unwanted animals. Those of us who are left to deal with the messes left by ignorant and irresponsible people have had to bear the brunt of this negligence both emotionally and financially. Perhaps we should have named this little kitten ‘Peaceful Protest’, then maybe something would finally be done. Not unlike the business owners and citizens who have suffered under the guise of ‘peaceful protesters’ this tiny little kitten, whom we named Hissy Fit, is also the victim of legislation turning their backs on what is the real issue here, which is not forcing people to take accountability of their own actions. Not holding them responsible for their behavior, and forcing law abiding citizens to bear the brunt and the blame for the poor choices made by others. The behavior I speak of in this instance is people who do not spay or neuter their animals. Backyard breeders. Animal cruelty issues. And now that Animal Control is no longer doing their part, this problem will become much worse as if it were not already bad enough.

I mentioned some solutions that I addressed either by letter or in person to Barger, Lackey, and Wilk. Lacky and Wilk I actually did in person…twice. All of you via email or letter at least once if not more. With the exception of Mike Garcia, I have been dismissed by all of you. So once again, here are my ideas for possible solutions, and once again, it would be nice if one of you could direct me to the correct petition form to use as I do have many who have already committed to signing it. Here we go:

I mentioned a couple of years ago to Barger, Lackey, and Wilk about a moratorium on all animal breeding until the shelters and rescues could reduce their populations by at least 50%. This idea went over like an iron balloon. Okay then how about limiting them to breeding to one litter every 2 years? I do know that most if not all for profit breeders breed out their females every heat cycle which is not good for the animal, and produces less and less viable litters. What do they do with the pups they don’t sell? Where do they end up? So I am going to stick with a moratorium. I suggested a 5 year moratorium. If for profit breeders don’t like that idea, then maybe they should reconsider how they treat their animals, and perhaps give some consideration to animals that are unwanted on the streets, in rescues, and in shelters. I know of no for profit breeders that do any of these things.

I do not support defunding police. In fact I support MORE funding for law enforcement and that includes our Animal Control Officers. We need more. We also need more animal control facilities. There is an abandoned school on the corner of 150^th St. East and Avenue O in Lake Los Angeles that would make a great animal rescue and education center, and would create more jobs. It has sat empty for many years and it is time to put some good use to it. Who knows, maybe we could inspire more young people to become caring and conscientious Veterinarians like our Veterinarian who helped us many times with feral animals, often when no one else would.

I noticed on the fees and licensing page that breeders and rescue organizations pay the same fees. This is not fair. Most if not all legitimate rescue organizations cover their costs with what donations they can get as well as out of their own pockets. Breeders profit handsomely by selling baby animals at a high cost. So why should the fees be the same? For profit breeders, if there is no moratorium, should cover the fees for rescues, as well as some kind of rescue tax where that money will go to funding additional officers, additional facilities, and most of all; more mobile spay and neuter vehicles to go out into communities like Lake Los Angeles where people can bring their animals for proper care. Along with low or no cost mobile operations for spay and neuter, they can offer vaccinations, minor first aid care that does not require x rays or surgery, and educational material on why it is so important to take care of your animals. At this time, and the COVID-19 is not a legitimate excuse for this, there are no mobile units that I know of out here. The only one I know is at the Palmdale Animal Control facility but many do not have the ability or time to drive into town as many commute into the valley for jobs. Even though Animal Control has low cost options as do many veterinarians, people still have to drive there.

There is also the issue of culture and attitude regarding spay and neuter, so more education has to be out there to let people know that neutering a male does not take anything away from him and that females do NOT need to have at least one litter. This has to be debunked along with “I want my kids to watch the miracle of life”. Do they also show their kids what a miracle it is when these animals die on the street or have to be put down? I seriously doubt that. Perhaps young children need to tour rescues and shelters to see where these animals really end up, and the sorrowful conditions they are in as far as injuries, illness, sadness and loneliness, and cold concrete and cages. THAT is the true reality for most animals who are not spayed or neutered, or cared for properly.

I have been dismissed in the past, but these conditions prevail and are getting worse. Animals are tossed out just like all the illegal trash dumping out here. Animal Control officers are overwhelmed, undermanned. Yes I am pretty angry about what happened at the Lancaster Animal Control Facility but I primarily blame legislation. You have done nothing about this. We law abiding, tax paying, pet license fee paying citizens are tired of seeing these animals suffer, and little is being done about it. Instead of animal licensing fees, how about letters of protest in our next bill?

Sincerely,

Loretta A Smalls

Note that this letter also went to L.A. County Animal Care and Control as well as the Mayors of Palmdale and Lancaster.

I also want to add that my suspicions about Animal Control dumping animals is just that; a suspicion but it is suspicion based on empirical evidence. For example several years ago we adopted our dog Daisy from Lancaster Animal Shelter as a companion for our dog Sharpie. Sadly they did not get along and fought viciously so we had to take her back. Two years later, after Sharpie passed away, we got a call from Baldwin Park Animal Control saying they have our dog. I said “What dog?” They said they have Daisy. So we got her back. What the heck was she doing in Baldwin Park? Did she get dumped off by the most recent owner or by Animal Control? Fast forward to a couple of days ago when I observed an Animal Control truck on the dirt road behind my house. The following day I see a new strange cat wandering the desert. Did another animal just get dumped off by Animal Control? This is the empirical evidence I speak of along with what the officer told me to do at the shelter. So….are things so dire for our local Animal Control that they have to start turning away animals and perhaps dumping them off themselves? I do not believe it has anything to do with COVID-19. Our legislators have to start doing SOMETHING. Our property taxes keep going up and up, licensing fees for animals keep going up and up but less and less is  being done. >>>petition will soon follow so I will keep everyone posted.

 

 

My passion for animals also includes humans; up to a point. I never used to support Trump, or his border wall until I started seeing my own neighborhood go to crap. If folks cannot come into this country and leave behind the squalor they left behind, as well as the animal cruelty issues prevalent in their societies, then I wish they would just remain in their own countries. We have enough of this going on without more coming in. This is what my neighborhood looks like now and it is getting worse.

I am all for immigration but if they want their neighborhood to resemble their country of origin then they should just return there. This was once a beautiful desert community, now a slum.

This is a Facebook page I got involved with after learning about some collusion between our Board Of Supervisors and another entity in our town. This other entity is well known for intimidation and bullying other residents when they ask too many questions and have opposing views.

 

Free Lake Los Angeles

 

Clean up day at the Saddleback Butte State Park.

https://www.facebook.com/RascalsOfLLACA/videos/479480482438365/