New Los Angeles city program aims to rescue dogs on Skid Row

SKID ROW, LOS ANGELES () — The city of Los Angeles is cracking down on criminal activity on Skid Row that’s hurting one group of residents who can’t leave a life on the streets on their own — the dogs.

A new city pilot program has been created to help the dogs of Skid Row. But is it working?

You see them all over the tent cities lining the streets of Skid Row — dogs of all shapes and sizes, not at all phased by the fires set on the sidewalks or the other animals they have to share a tent with.

“We’re definitely animal lovers by nature,” said Lt. Andy Mathes with LAPD’s Central Division.

Mathes worked with the mayor’s office to launch a new, joint program with L.A. Animal Services.

Now, one Animal Services employee is embedded with Central Division officers, and they hit the streets of Skid Row together.

“There are about 60 officers from Central Division that have been trained in some enhanced investigations about animal welfare and animal cruelty,” Mathes said.

LAPD says some of those officers saved a litter of puppies and three adult dogs last month. Some were so thin, you could see their rib cages.

The dogs were saved from a Skid Row trailer that LAPD says was a puppy mill.

“They were living in horrible conditions. The dogs had faeces on them,” Mathes said.

Video shared by LAPD shows an undercover bust of illegal puppy sales in the Fashion District.

Those puppies, as well as the ones rescued from the puppy mill, are all now in the care of Animal Services.

Since the pilot program began, Animal Servicers says 26 dogs have been rescued, and another 12 dogs have been helped with spay and neuter certificates and food.

“We have been screaming, not talking, screaming about this issue for a long time,” said Victoriah Parker with Starts with One Today.

Parker has been helping dogs on Skid Row for years.

“We have seen dogs being stabbed. We’ve seen dogs getting shot. Pretty much anything you can think of,” Parker said.

She says the lives of many dogs are tough on Skid Row, and she hopes the city will do even more.

But as the pilot program continues, more officers are learning to work with victims who are four-legged and furry.

Animal Services says the dogs and puppies rescued from the puppy mill and in the undercover operation are not up for adoption just yet. They have to be cared for as evidence until the cases wrap up.