Los Angeles City Council Considers Temporary Moratorium on Dog Breeding Permits

The Los Angeles City Council is set to address the issue of overpopulation at the city’s animal shelters by considering a temporary moratorium on dog breeding permits. This decision comes as the six city-run shelters are facing a dire crisis due to overcrowding of dogs.

Last week, the Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee passed the ordinance in a 2-0 vote, with Councilman John Lee absent. The moratorium would be in place until shelters are at or below 75% capacity for three consecutive months, with the possibility of being reinstated if capacity rises above that threshold.

City officials and animal advocates have been pushing for a halt to breeding and more robust spay-and-neuter efforts as a solution to the problem. The current dog population in the shelters has exceeded capacity for over a year, leading to dogs being doubled and tripled in single kennels and placed in temporary hallway crates for months at a time.

Staycee Dains, the general manager of the city’s Department of Animal Services, sees the moratorium as a necessary step to signal to the community that the shelters cannot take in any more animals. In 2023, the city issued around 1,200 breeding permits and was on track to issue about 1,800 by the end of the year.

The City Council’s decision on the temporary moratorium will have a significant impact on the city’s efforts to address the overpopulation crisis in its animal shelters. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.