PRESS RELEASE

Over the past several years the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Marine, Animal Care Services Bureau (ACS) has worked diligently to reduce shelter population and euthanasia rates, while also working to improve outcomes for the animals who visit the City’s shelter.

“We are proud of ACS for their continued commitment to adopting more animals and reducing euthanasia rates," said Mayor Robert Garcia. “The Auditor’s report, which I requested as a way to identify opportunities for improvements, makesclear we still have much more to do and I look forward to working with the City Manager to implement the Auditor’s recommendations.” 

In addition to the findings presented in Phase One of the Auditor’s review, the Phase Two review provides ACS with industry-identified best practice recommendations to help achieve improved operational efficiency, effectiveness, and overall service to the community.

While ACS continues to review the Auditor’s recommendations for improvements, the City notes that in 2017 the combined live release rates for dogs and cats was 81%, significantly higher than Los Angeles County and Orange County rates and was a marked improvement over the same statistics for 2016. Further, the City continues to show consistent improvements in total live impounds, total euthanasia, and live release rates year-over-year, over the last several years. In addition, ACS’ current year-to-date statistics for the first eight months of 2018 show the department is on track for another year-over-year decrease in impounds and euthanasia annually for cats and dogs combined, as noted in the below tables.

Prominently referenced in both phases of the Auditor’s review is the need to create a long-term strategic plan to identify priorities and align resources needed to meet the goals of the community and the City. The first meeting of the Mayor’s Animal Care Visioning Task Force will occur next week. More information on the Task Force meeting will be posted at www.longbeach.gov/acs as it becomes available.

About the City of Long Beach

Home to approximately 480,000 people, the multiple award-winning and the innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services and more. The City also has a highly-respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 170 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths, and a Bike Share program.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Long Beach Parks, Recreation, and Marine

Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (PRM) is recognized for excellence in management practices and programs, having received the National Parks and Recreation Association Gold Medal Award four times. PRM provides leisure programs and services to residents and visitors, which improve quality of life in Long Beach. PRM maintains 171 parks with 26 community centers, 320 acres of open space, and 6.1 miles of beaches; implements the City's Open Space Plan provides recreational opportunities to meet diverse community needs, maintains public marinas, and provides for public safety and the humane treatment of animals.

For more information about Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine programs and services, visit www.lbparks.org. Please “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @LongBeachParks. 

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