On March 23rd, 2020, a seabird was found resting outside a building in Gardena. The business' employee called for help.

Gardena Animal Control responded and transported the bird to the Carson Animal Shelter, run by Los Angeles County, even though it needed to be taken to aquatic bird specialists, International Bird Rescue, in San Pedro, about 10 miles south.

Volunteers were ready to transport the bird. 

Instead, shelter staff killed the cormorant.

According to shelter representatives, they no longer transfer birds to rescue organizations. Once impounded, they are killed. Even wild mammals, like opossums, skunks, and raccoons.

It seems the policy of the Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control is to kill wildlife brought to their shelters.

This has to stop, now.

Marcia Mayeda, we are petitioning you to make immediate changes to how your shelters respond to wildlife.

- Immediately and without delay direct Dispatch to advise callers that wild animals impounded will likely be euthanized (until your policy changes) and provide callers with contact information for local wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facilities that may be able to help. 

- Revise your shelters' intake protocol during Newcastle Disease quarantines to reflect the most current guidelines by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which, currently, allows transfer of native birds and mammals to licensed wildlife rehabilitators or their representatives within the quarantine zones so long as the animal(s) have not been exposed directly to poultry or indirectly by being housed on property containing poultry. Transfer to facilities outside the quarantine zones require pre-approval.

- Update your  shelters’ wildlife protocol to minimize the number of animals that are impounded and ultimately killed.