L.A. County Animal Control Power Grab Would Impact Victims of Cruelty

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is rewriting their animal control ordinance to give animal control unprecedented power.

Angelenos for Animals, who started a petition on Change.org opposing the new language, rightly believes that the amendments to the provisions of Title 10 governing "potentially dangerous dogs" and "vicious dogs" are misguided and unfair. They believe the changes would result in more unwarranted killing. After reading the proposed ordinance, I agree.

Under animal control's proposal, dogs would no longer get their day in court before being deemed “vicious. Instead, the determination could be made by an Administrative Hearing officer, which could be an officer or employee of the Animal Control Department. This is nothing more than a rubber stamp.

Are the Board of Supervisors so naive that they really believe that one employee is going to go against the decision of his colleague? Are L.A. County's animal control employees trained legal professionals who can ensure a fair hearing? Are they even aware of the rules of evidence and the burden of proof? Probably not.

Impartial administrative hearings can work to save money, but for them to also work to protect citizens, there have to be safeguards. This amendment has none.

Even more troubling: The proposed ordinance fails to strike an archaic and inhumane provision that “any dog that engages in or has been found to have been trained to engage in exhibitions of fighting” can be deemed “vicious” and euthanized. As we have seen with the Vick dogs, animals rescued from fight busts are victims of cruelty, and many have gone on to become therapy dogs and pets. These dogs should not be victimized yet again.

The American Bar Association's House of Delegates passed Resolution 108 B this year, which recommended that all victims of cruelty — including dogs seized from fighting yards — be evaluated and given a chance for placement. Florida followed the ABA's lead and  SB 722 was signed into law after the Change.org community and Best Friends Animal Society supported the bill, which strikes the automatic designation of "dangerous" from dogs trained for fighting.

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors should follow the advice of the ABA and, more importantly, listen to their constituents demanding changes to the proposed legislation. They can allow Administrative Hearings, but by an outside attorney, not an internal employee. And they should give victims of cruelty a chance by striking Section A from the Vicious Dog definition.

Let's help Angelenos for Animals in their crusade for justice for all dogs by signing their petition.

Photo Credit: Melissa Lipani, Best Friends Animal Society