“Since the raids in Los Angeles started, there has been a slow but increasing number of animals coming in due to the deportations and people being taken,” said Joseph Navarrete, manager for the Downey Animal Care Center.
At least 18 animals have been turned in due to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement siege of Los Angeles and their deportations. At this particular shelter, they are currently housing four dogs: two that arrived yesterday and two that have been there since June and are now up for adoption.
Everyone is feeling the impact of the ongoing ICE raids that have taken place across Los Angeles and neighboring cities. These include local businesses feeling the blows from slowing foot traffic, families struggling to get by after a loved one is detained, and even beloved pets suffering from the emotional toll of family separation.
The shelter is one of many in the city that are reporting an increase in dogs, cats, and other pets being surrendered, usually by family members or neighbors of owners who have been taken into ICE custody.
The rise in intake is not surprising, given that in June alone, an estimated 2,000 people were arrested across seven counties, as reported by the LA Times, with many of them having no criminal record. The result is that pets are left behind to fend for themselves, and in worst-case scenarios, end up homeless.
“We’re dealing with the aftermath of what's going on,” Navarrete said while walking L.A. TACO through the shelter. “The majority of the time, it's because they can't keep them, their landlords aren’t allowing them to have an extra pet, or they can’t afford it, so they're bringing them in to us as a last resort.”
Two dogs, now looking for a new home, are five-year-old Canela and eight-year-old Rust. Canela is golden brown, while Rust, her brother, is black with tan brindle stripes on his back. The two Belgian Malinois, whose spirits are undaunted despite their owners being arrested by ICE, sport wagging tails and slobbery smiles as they are let out to a small yard for some playtime. The dogs are housed together and are sweet, loving, and playful.
They were brought in on June 10th, the second week of what began an aggressive month of arrests. The shelter has had no luck in locating family members of their owners and is now faced with relocating the two dogs.
“We hold them for a total of 15 days. If no one comes, then we go ahead and put them up for adoption,” he continued. “The goal is to reunite them with their family, but if we can’t, we look for a new home.”
Navarrete showed us two more dogs that had arrived the day before. The two little white clouds of fur are two-year-old Toby and his sister Pelusa, both of whom are Apso mixes and were still getting used to their enclosures. Their faces were timid, and their glossy eyes filled with sadness. It’s essential to note that a drastic change in environment for a dog who comes from a family home can significantly impact their emotions and disrupt their daily routines.
“For any animal coming into any animal shelter, it’s always a huge impact, they're coming into a very unknown environment, a very stressful environment,” he said as dogs in the distance were heard barking, making their presence known. “They’re no longer in their comfort zones.”
Non-profit shelters like Wags and Walks, located in the Westside’s Sawtelle neighborhood, focus on saving dogs at risk of euthanization by finding them foster homes, bringing them to their shelter, and eventually finding them new homes. They have also been donating pet supplies to families in need and to organizations that serve vulnerable communities during this time.
“It's heartbreaking seeing what’s happening. Right now, we’re at the point where we are trying to pinpoint where the help is needed and in what way,” said Alejandra Avila of Party Animals, who is working closely with Wags and Walks.
Back in Downey, Canela and Rust prepare for their daily walk, running up to Navarrete with their tongues hanging to the side. As the dogs overstay their welcome, their future is as uncertain as that of their owners, whom he has not been able to contact. While the staff is confident they’ll find the siblings a good home, they do fear the possibility of them being euthanized should they not be adopted in time.
Navarrete said that all dogs, including those impacted by the raids, are spayed, neutered, microchipped, and fully vaccinated when they are ready for adoption. The county is also offering free services, including food vouchers and medical vouchers, to anyone currently caring for a pet that has been separated from its family.
He urges people who are in a position to adopt to stop by to visit dogs like Canela and her sibling, pointing to the overflow of animals at shelters following Fourth of July celebrations.
“Every shelter is inundated with animals daily, and we try to provide as much emotional support as we can to the animals, and try and make them as comfortable as possible,” Navarete says. “But ultimately, home is the best place for them.”
To inquire about adopting Canela (Animal ID: A5705909) or Rust (Animal ID: A5705907), visit the shelter's website here.
Donate to the Downey Animal Care Center here and to Wags and Walks here.
