DOGS ARE NOT VEGAN.

Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists advise consulting a veterinarian before placing your dog on a plant based diet; monitoring a dog's blood and urine (9 minute mark Dr. Armaiti May discusses risks) while making the transition from a meat based to vegetarian based diet is the responsible way to manage this major change for the many breeds who are at risk on vegan diets. While this is manageable for an individual who is making this choice for a family pet, it's inarguably a completely unmanageable feat for the 2nd largest City Shelter system in the United States. LAAS shelters take in tens of thousands animals a year and employ a total of 6 full-time veterinarians. 

The Los Angeles Animal Services Board of Commissioners voted to approve a "Feasibility Study" to compile research into whether LA City Shelters should turn dogs over to a vegan diet. This is an indulgence and the financial burden for this study should not fall upon any Los Angeles City department/agency nor third party (for profit or non-profit) organization.

The path that led to this vote was not transparent. There may be possible ethics violations. It may be likely that the overall decision was made by commissioners who were persuaded by emotional arguments void of validated scientific research, which may be based on false equivalencies and misleading statistics.

Tax-paying citizens of Los Angeles insist this matter be thoroughly investigated.