LA Animal Services’ transfer program raises concern by some – NBC Los Angeles

A new program meant to help senior dogs get adopted is receiving criticism from some animal lovers who claim it may actually do more harm than good.

LA Animal Services’ new program to transfer “long-stay” dogs to other shelters in hopes the exposure to new people increases their chance for adoption is being criticized by some. Opponents say the move to a new environment could compromise the wellbeing of already-stressed dogs.

Meredith Lynch, an animal advocate who has been discussing the matter to her thousands of followers on TikTok, said she’s concerned about how the dogs in the program will react to their transfers.

“It’s challenging, I get it,” she said. “They’re trying to find solutions.”

Lynch and shelter volunteers who wish to stay anonymous say the money, time and effort used to transfer long-stay dogs should be spent differently. Some solutions they recommend include putting better descriptions of the dogs online to fully capture their personality and more in-person adoption events.

Part of the concern opponents have is that the new environment could further stress adoptable dogs, which could hinder their temperaments.

“Maybe they get depressed and they’re just, like, sleeping,” Lynch said. “So, you really don’t get to see what their personality might be like.”

In a statement, LA Animal Services said the relocation strategy has worked to get dogs adopted faster in other shelter systems, but it did not provide any specifics.