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The Animal Cruelty In Los Angeles 

Downtown Los Angeles has many street vendors in need of making a living. But, unfortunately, these vendors are making a living by selling newborn animals. These animals consist of rabbits, chinchillas, snakes, birds, iguanas, turtles, etc. Selling newborn animals without the proper license and care shouldn't be normalized as anyone's primary means of making a profit. The majority of these animals are rabbits. Given their age being 2 WEEKS OLD, they are sold illegally mostly in Santee Alley Maple Ave. & E. 12th St. where they are trapped inside tiny “11x5inch” cages and given no essential nutrition. At best, these rabbits are only given pellets and hay which is extremely unhealthy to their diets considering their age. These newborn animals also have no choice but to grow accustomed to being dehydrated, being sold outside in hot summer climates, and sold under stressful loud surroundings. And not to ignore the unsanitary conditions that are of consequence to the provided small cages to which these animals live in their own feces, dirty water, and dirty diet, ultimately resulting in them suffering from pests like mites, parasites, and diseases. All while undermining the public health risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, these rabbits are raised defenseless and fragile, meaning they will likely be exposed to parasites such as Coccidia and Giardia, which can kill them instantly. These young rabbits are also lacking nurturing from their mothers, meaning once the animal’s mother has reproduced, the newborn is then separated from their mother to be sold. I can't imagine how many animals are bought from families who aren't committed to taking care of a living species resulting in the death of these sold innocent creatures. 

 How Does This Affect Our Community?

Los Angeles Times News reporter, Carla Halls states, “Buyers end up with animals that are malnourished, sick, likely to die once they get them home — or make family members sick” (2013). Due to the improper treatment vendors place on their profit, these animals become ill, containing bacteria and parasites that customers encounter. For example, rabbits have a sensitive digestive system meaning their diet is to be taken with precaution. But, since the Santee Alley animals are fed poorly, rabbits carry Giardia and Coccidia which are parasites that kill rabbits or any other domesticated animal if not treated. Encountering these parasites will expose customers; mainly children; to become infected as well, leading them to have symptoms such as diarrhea, dehydration, weak immune system, nausea, and other health concerns. The majority of Santee Alley turtles also contain a bacteria which is transmitted to buyers, Salmonella. Like the other diseases, Salmonella also has similar symptoms that can make the exposed extremely ill. Additionally, if the owner commits to the animal's well-being and treatment, the owner will be obliged to pay a high amount of veterinary bills and healthcare costs. If one isn’t ready to be fully committed to providing care for an animal, then please do not purchase them. 

How Can Our Community Help? 

Though in 2009 Last Chance For Animals (LC4A) succeeded in letting the Mayor at that time, Antonio Villaraigosa, put up an ordinance to ban illegal animal profiting, “the Mayor's office has done little to make the public aware of the law,” therefore, having little to no effect on the mindset and practices of today’s street vendors. Vendors are still selling these poor helpless animals all for their selfish profit. If you travel to Downtown LA on the weekends, you will witness this for yourself. You will come across street vendors selling mostly young bunnies (rabbits) under cruel suffrage trapped in small cages enduring heat, hunger, and health deprivation.

How do we give these animals a better opportunity and bring an end to this animal welfare and cruelty?

As the Angeleno community empowered to bring a positive change focused on our collective health concerns and the ethical treatment of innocent animals, we ought to consider signing this petition and grab the legislative attention of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood City Hall for they are accountable for upholding the law and provide the much-needed salvation of these animals. The City Council can bring this serious matter to a conclusive decision that will, in one voice, change this common practice of selling animals as it is inhumane and treats animals as nothing but objects for profit. ANIMALS ARE LIVING BEINGS TOO!

What About the Street Vendors?

As someone who lives in poverty, I understand the struggle that one goes through to make a living. I feel sympathy for these street vendors, but my goal is to help these defenseless animals who are ignored. Unlike the street vendors who have numerous options on how to make money, these animals can’t escape the treatment and poor living conditions. I have high hopes that your signature can help my petition reach its victory. Unfortunately, the common practice of enforcing the fair treatment of animals and penalizing illegal animal welfare will make the street vendors resume selling animals in hidden areas such as from inside their vehicles, making the animal's safety be put in more danger. Our City Council must consider this and create a solution that will benefit both sides of this petition.

Why should you care? 

Collectively, Angelenos have a common culture to protect other innocent defenseless animals such as dogs, cats, horses, and other organisms. As an extension of this accepted mentality for the ethical treatment of other animals, this problem should be recognized by us Angelenos. If nothing is done to protect these animals, then, we all share responsibility for their suffering. We need to take charge of this by changing our behaviors, penalizing those who break the law, and shifting the culture to shame the selling and buying of animals from street vendors. Being silent gives victory to the animal's oppressor. We need to be the voice for animals and save these animals from any further harm! Illegal Animal Profit Stops NOW! Let us begin liberating these animals in serious need of help!

*For more visual information/content, visit the youtube links below.*

Illegal Rabbits Sale « Los Angeles KTLA News Report​

Illegal Animal Sales in Downtown L.A.​

ANIMAL CRUELTY @ SANTEE ALLEY, LOS ANGELES FASHION DISTRICT​

The Voiceless Victim of Santee Alley

SOCIAL MEDIA CLIPS ABOUT THE ABUSE WERE EDITED FROM THE CLIPS ABOVE