Press Release: ASPCA Assists Thousands of Animals and Families in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area in 2014; Expands Services to Save More Animals in 2015

National animal welfare organization bolsters spay/neuter clinic, "safety net" services to keep pets from entering shelters and relocation program as part of $25 million, multi-year commitment

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that thousands of animals and their families in Los Angeles were assisted in 2014 through the national animal welfare organization's multi-year, $25 million commitment to save more animals in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The ASPCA also announced that it will expand key elements of its services and programs in Los Angeles to assist more animals in 2015.

This year, the ASPCA will increase staff at its fully subsidized spay/neuter clinic in South Los Angeles in order to significantly increase the number of free spay/neuter surgeries for pets in this underserved community. The ASPCA will also add a new position to its safety net program in Los Angeles County, which helps prevent pets from entering the overtaxed shelter system by providing resources to pet owners at risk of giving up their pets. The ASPCA's relocation program in Los Angeles will also increase capacity, including regular transports of dogs from overcrowded shelters by air, in addition to the program's regular ground transports. An additional vehicle will be added to help assist with shorter distance ground transports. 

Since launching in May 2014, the ASPCA's Los Angeles programs have already impacted a significant number of animals and families. To date, the ASPCA has:

• Performed more than 3,500 free spay/neuter surgeries for pets in the underserved South Los Angeles community at the ASPCA's fully subsidized spay/neuter clinic located at South Los Angeles Animal Care Center – Chesterfield Square facility
• Assisted more than 1,200 animals through the ASPCA safety net program designed to keep pets in their homes and out of shelters by providing services to pet owners at risk of giving up their pets
• Relocated more than 500 animals from overcrowded Los Angeles County shelters to communities where they will have a better chance of being adopted through the ASPCA's animal relocation program
• Distributed more than $1.3 million in grants to local animal welfare organizations and partners for initiatives such as intervention programs, spay/neuter programs and medical care for animals in low-income areas

For stories and photos from the ASPCA's LA programs, click here: http://www.aspca.org/blog/we-helped-thousands-of-animals-in-los-angeles-2014-and-were-just-getting-started

"Working side by side with our partners in Los Angeles, we learned a lot about the needs of the community, and together we developed innovative programs that have saved thousands of animals and kept families together," said ASPCA President & CEO Matt Bershadker. "We're excited to ramp up our programs based on the evolving needs of the community so that we can continue to positively impact more and more animals."

"We know that to save more animals, it is key to get homeless animals out of shelters and into loving homes, while also helping to prevent more animals from entering shelters in the first place," said Jill Buckley, senior director of community initiatives for the ASPCA. "Our safety net program, spay/neuter clinic, and relocation program are targeting animal homelessness in the Los Angeles area on both fronts, and we are thrilled to expand these programs to help more animals and families."

The ASPCA's expertise in spay/neuter, adoption and relocation, as well as its allocation of critical funds around the country, has made it a leader in life-saving efforts for animal shelters across the United States. In New York City, through collaboration with the ASPCA-funded Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals and its more than 150 rescue groups, the coalition has rescued and saved so many animals that, in 10 years, the live release rate increased from 26 percent in 2003 to just over 80 percent in 2013, giving New York Citythe lowest per capita euthanasia rate in the country.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation's leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA's mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit www.ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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SOURCE ASPCA

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