The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services is under fire because it was revealed after an audit that they have only issued 123,000 licenses when the dog population is estimated at 400,000 - 800,000.
Collecting on licenses is the largest source of revenue for the agency with licenses for dogs that have been ‘fixed’ fetching $15 and dogs that haven’t at $100. Because they haven’t collected on roughly 75 to 80 percent, there is a resulting loss of about $2 million on dog licenses.
Ironically, the city doesn’t do anything to collect the money it’s owed. The department sends out one notice of delinquency and then doesn’t approach it again.
The department could be losing nearly $11 million a year by not enforcing penalties against people who fail to license their animals.
This latest news paints L.A. as a city of irresponsible dog owners. Responsible dog owners license their dogs.
