Local Veterinarians
Beverly Hills Small Animal Hospital
Dr. John Winters, Dr. Ford Suehiro & Dr. Richard Keagy
353 N. Foothill Drive – Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 276-7113
Dr. Shipp’s Animal Hospital
351 Foothill Road – Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 550-0101
VCA Miller Robertson Animal Hospital
Dr. Walter Cailleteau, Dr. Lomond & Dr. Michael Miller
8807 Melrose Avenue – West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 657-7050
Melrose La Brea Animal Hospital
Dr. Edd Jordan
7116 Melrose Avenue – Los Angeles, CA(323) 937-2334
TLC Veterinary Centers, Inc.
8725 Santa Monica Blvd. – West Hollywood, CA 90069
(OPEN 24 HOURS)
(310) 859-4852
Laurel Pet Hospital
7970 Santa Monica Blvd. – West Hollywood, CA 90046
Dr. Meredith Rettinger (cats)
(323) 654-7060
Dr. Liz Friedman
House Calls!
myanimaldoc@sbcglobal.net
(323) 314-8536
Local Shelters
Los Angeles City Animal Shelters
North Central:(888) 4LAPET1
3201 Lacy St., LA 90031
South Central: (888) 4LAPET1
1850 W. 60th St., LA 90047
Harbor:(888) 4LAPET1
957 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro 90731
West LA:(888) 4LAPET1
11361 W. Pico Blvd., LA 90064
East Valley:(888) 4LAPET1
14409 Vanowen St., Van Nuys 91405
West Valley:(888) 4LAPET1
20655 Plummer St., Chatsworth 91311
Los Angeles County Animal Shelters
Animal Shelter 1: (562) 940-6898
11258 S. Garfield Ave., Downey 90242
Animal Shelter 2: (310) 523-9566
216 W. Victoria St., Gardena 90248
Animal Shelter 3: (626) 962-3577
4275 N. Elton Ave., Baldwin Park 91706
Animal Shelter 4: (661) 940-4191
5210 W. Ave I, Lancaster 93536
Animal Shelter 5: (661) 257-3191 or (818) 367-8065
31044 N. Charlie Canyon Rd., Castaic 91384
Animal Shelter 6: (818) 991-0071
29525 Agoura Rd., Agoura 91301
Shelter Myths
Myth 1: All of the pets at animal shelters have something wrong with them
A: Walk into any animal care center and you’ll likely find a variety of dogs from Chihuahuas to Labradors to Beagles. Sadly, many of these wonderful pets are relinquished to animal care centers through no fault of their own One of the main reasons that animals are given up is because their owners are no longer able to provide the proper care; perhaps this is due to financial hardship, a move to a new home, illness or death of the owner, or a change in lifestyle. In all of these situations, the animal is relinquished for reasons unrelated to their health, temperament or behavior. Keep in mind that shelters will not adopt out animals with untreatable or serious behavioral issues.
Myth 2: Going to the shelter or pound is sad and an unpleasant experience
A: We actually prefer the phrase ‘animal care center’ to define shelters in our communities. That’s because many municipalities or SPCAs have redefined animal sheltering with the public and animal’s comfort in mind. At your local animal care center you’ll likely find staff and volunteers working together to rehabilitate sick or injured animals, hosting adoption events or distributing humane education materials. Modern animal care centers are designed with bright, cheerful colors, many with grooming suites to increase an pet’s chance for adoption or play yards used to train and socialize dogs.
Myth 3: They only have cats and dogs.
A: Not so! Many animal care centers have rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, turtles, snakes, and some centers even have farm animals available for adoption! If you’re looking for a companion other than a dog or cat, check your local adoption center, and search online on PetFinder.com or AdoptaPet.com. For the same reasons that dogs and cats end up in adoption centers, other companion animals do as well.
Myth 4: The people at the adoption center don’t know anything about the individual animals, so how can they help me find the right pet?
A: Most animal care centers have several methods of discovering the animal’s true personality and determining what type of home would be best. When people surrender their pets, the shelter staff takes the time to ask questions about the animals personality, behavior, and health. Animals are observed by staff and volunteers during their stay, and often more formal behavior and health evaluations are conducted. And don’t forget to chat with volunteers! Often times it’s the volunteers who have the chance to spend the most time with individual animals and can help match you up with your new best friend!
Myth 5: I really want a purebred, and I’ll never be able to find that at my local adoption center.
A: According to several studies, up to 25% of animals at shelters are purebreds. And owners of purebreds can experience the same hardships that cause them to give up their pets (financial, personal, medical, etc), resulting in purebreds ending up at adoption centers. (And not just purebred dogs, but purebred cats, and exotic animals, too!)