Current Program Excludes Rabbits and Key Areas of Coverage

The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously approved a plan to increase the value of its spay and neuter vouchers for one year. However, the plan falls short of including key areas of coverage, including rabbits and mobile clinics, prompting concern from animal advocates who say the city is missing a critical opportunity. The revised plan, which was adopted on Wednesday, maintains higher voucher rates for cats and dogs but excludes rabbits and other key populations. The plan also excludes mobile clinics, onsite providers, and the Citywide Cat Program, which are crucial for reducing shelter crowding and improving outcomes for adopted animals.

• Key areas of coverage excluded from the plan include:
• Rabbits
• Mobile clinics
• Onsite providers
• The Citywide Cat Program

Why Excluding Rabbits is a Concern

The exclusion of rabbits from the plan is a significant concern for animal advocates. Rabbits are one of the most vulnerable and fast-reproducing populations in the city, and their sterilization is often overlooked in city programs. Unlike cats and dogs, which typically cost between $150 to $300 for spay and neuter surgeries, rabbit procedures are significantly more expensive, often ranging between $500 and $1,000. “You can call around all over and no clinic will take those $125 vouchers because they’re losing money on them,” said Michelle Kelly, founder of Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation. “It’s simply not sustainable for them to do at the current voucher rate.”

Impact of Exclusion on Animal Welfare

The exclusion of rabbits and other key populations from the plan has significant implications for animal welfare. The cost of not doing this is tremendous for rabbits, and it is estimated that thousands of rabbits will die as a result of this vote.

• Some of the key statistics include:
• • A pair of rabbits and their babies can produce up to 900 rabbits in one year.
• • In seven years, one rabbit and her babies would produce 64 billion rabbits.

City Officials Express Disappointment

City animal welfare officials expressed disappointment in the Council’s decision to exclude mobile clinics, onsite providers, and the Citywide Cat Program. These components are crucial for reducing shelter crowding and improving outcomes for adopted animals. “Today was a bit of a blindside, to be honest,” said Jana Brennan, program manager for Michelson Center for Public Policy’s Spay and Neuter Initiative. “Including those (coverage areas) is incredibly important for the long-term investment in spay and neuter in Los Angeles. So we were very disappointed to learn that that had shifted back to that previous recommendation.”

Consequences of Short-Sighted Approach

The scaled-back plan has been criticized for failing to address the scale of the city’s overcrowding crisis. Advocates argue that the city’s short-sighted approach will cost the City far more in the long run. “Failing to adequately fund spay and neuter programs is the very definition of being penny wise and “pound” foolish,” said Jeffrey Mausner, co-founder of the Global Anti-Dog Meat Coalition. “In the long run, this short-sighted approach will cost the City far more — in both taxpayer dollars and animal suffering.”

Advocates Plan to Revisit the Issue

Animal advocates plan to push city leaders to revisit the issue and find alternative solutions to address the city’s overcrowding crisis. They will work closely with elected officials to ensure that they are mobilizing to address the issue and finding other funding opportunities or breaks for organizations that are on the ground doing this work. “For us and all the organizations on the ground, we’re going to have to work really closely with elected officials and ensure that we’re mobilizing to address this,” said Jana Brennan. “And trying to find other funding opportunities or other breaks for organizations that are on the ground doing this work because, it’s simply not sustainable for them to do at the current voucher rate.”

Spay and Neuter Voucher Program in Los Angeles: A Missed Opportunity

The Los Angeles City Council’s decision to exclude rabbits and other key populations from the spay and neuter voucher program has been met with widespread criticism from animal advocates. The program, which aims to provide affordable spay and neuter services to eligible pet owners, falls short of including critical components that are necessary for addressing the city’s overcrowding crisis. The revised plan maintains higher voucher rates for cats and dogs but excludes rabbits and other key populations, leaving behind one of the city’s most vulnerable and fast-reproducing populations. Advocates argue that the city is missing a critical opportunity to address the scale of the overcrowding crisis and that the scaled-back plan will lead to significant consequences for animal welfare. The exclusion of rabbits and other key populations from the plan has significant implications for animal welfare, with thousands of rabbits estimated to die as a result of this vote. City officials have expressed disappointment in the Council’s decision, and advocates plan to work closely with elected officials to ensure that they are mobilizing to address the issue. In conclusion, the Los Angeles City Council’s decision to exclude rabbits and other key populations from the spay and neuter voucher program is a missed opportunity to address the city’s overcrowding crisis. Advocates will continue to push city leaders to revisit the issue and find alternative solutions to address the city’s animal welfare concerns.