Why do LA animal shelter volunteers do the work of staff?

For the editor: Thank you for speaking out about the deplorable conditions at animal shelters in the city of Los Angeles. This discussion is long overdue. Although dogs are man’s best friend, shelters also care for cats, rabbits, hamsters and other helpless animals.

My daughter has been volunteering at our local shelter for years and does what she can to deal with issues that would normally be the job of staff. Ensuring clean food, water and habitat is too often delayed, and with alarming results.

Our city must find the will and the funds to drastically improve the care of these creatures in their care.

Linda Alexander, Los Angeles

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For the editor: Recently, I went to the North Central Animal Shelter in the City of Los Angeles to see if my lost cat was there. It wasn’t, but I hadn’t been there in years and was totally impressed with how it is now.

The shelter was clean, bright and had spaces to meet and play with the animals. There were plenty of helpful staff, even in the small animal room. Each animal had food, water and was clean. There was no smell anywhere.

Unfortunately, there seemed to be row after row of caged dogs. That no one has enough time to regularly take them out for a walk is not surprising.

Instead of tearing down shelters, the Times should focus on whose fault: the people who abandon their animals because they are troublesome in some way, and the people who pay $2,000 for a “purebred” dog instead of adopting.

Lore Spangler, Los Angeles

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For the editor: One barrier to adopting shelter dogs that I rarely see mentioned is breed restrictions from insurance companies.

I am looking to adopt a rescue dog. A large percentage of shelter and rescue dogs are wholly or partly Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Chow Chows or Dobermans. My home insurance policy with Safeco does not cover a residence with a dog that is all or part of one of these breeds.

I have studied alternative insurance. All companies that do not have dog breed restrictions offer lower coverage at a higher price.

Ellen Nadel, Los Angeles

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For the editor: Thanks for revealing the animal shelter disaster.

Stop raising animals, folks. Get pets from a shelter. And while you’re at it, stop breeding humans. Eight billion people on the planet — crazy.

Ann Bradley, Los Angeles

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For the editor: If you are as disgusted with the city as I am about the state of our animal shelters, please call and write your council member and the mayor about it.

Now more money, more staff and improved facilities are needed.

William Majors, Wooded Hills

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