Concerns continue to mount at the Los Angeles Animal Services Department after the general manager was suddenly placed on leave and the CEO recently resigned.

These changes come after the department was criticized by volunteers and rescue organizations for not putting the welfare of their animals first. Some volunteers believe General Manager Staycee Dains will not return after her unexplained leave. While many of them criticized the GM’s poor leadership, they say this is another example of the department not being transparent and continuing to cover up the problems at the shelter.

Many volunteers and rescue groups claim that the Los Angeles Animal Services Department kills healthy dogs available for adoption to make room, but the agency denies this.

“They accelerate the path to killing exponentially,” said one shelter volunteer.

For fear of reprisals from the animal shelter, the volunteers asked to remain anonymous.

“The shelter is intentionally blocking the path to a new life for the animals in its care, purely out of convenience because they have not come up with any other positive solutions to the shelter crisis,” said a shelter volunteer.

According to shelter records, 140 dogs were euthanized in June of this year, an 82% increase over June of last year.

The changes are intended to address the shelter’s overcrowding crisis, which LA Animal Services said led to the mistreatment of an employee. Tracey Leong reports for NBCLA, June 11, 2024.

“They won’t admit this, but I can tell you that Stacy, in an all-volunteer meeting that she had with us volunteers, asked us, ‘You know, we’re on the verge of having to euthanize animals to have space, just space. And maybe we need to tell the public. Do you think we should do that?’ Every single volunteer said, ‘Yeah, do it. Tell the public, tell the public that we’re really that bad.’ We need to choose healthy, adoptable, loving animals and their lives just to have space. And she listened to everybody. And then she promptly didn’t do it,” said one shelter volunteer.

Volunteers say there have been repeated shortages of staff and funding, as well as overcrowding, which has led to inhumane treatment of the animals. For example, several dogs have been housed in one kennel, living conditions are dirty, and the animals lack appropriate care and exercise.

The Deputy GM of LA Animal Services will serve as interim GM.

NBC4 reached out to LA Animal Services about these allegations. The response included, “The Department of Animal Services continues its urgent and life-saving mission in service of the animals and residents of Los Angeles.”