Please help us combat animal cruelty in the LA Fashion District

ORDINANCE NO. 181851: An ordinance amending Section 53.42 of Article 3, Chapter 5 of LA Municipal Code (LAMC) to add a prohibition on the purchase of animals on public streets and sidewalks to the existing prohibition on the sale of animals on public streets and sidewalks in the City of Los Angeles. (http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2009/09-0632_ord_181851.pdf) was introduced at the meeting of the Council of the City of LA August 3, 2011, and was passed at its meeting of August 10, 2011.

SB 917 (LIEU): “…This bill would revise the punishment for this offense to provide that it is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or in the state prison, or by a fine of not more than $20,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment.” “…that it shall be a crime, punishable as specified, for any person to willfully sell or give away as part of a commercial. transaction, a live animal on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk, or to display or offer for sale, or display or offer to give away as part of a commercial transaction, a live animal if the act of selling or giving away the live animal is to occur on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk.” http://sd28.senate.ca.gov/news/2011-05-27-senate-approves-ted-lieu-bill-ban-%E2%80%98street-sales-animals-puppy-mills-other-sources

“Animal abuse is generally divided into two main categories: Animal cruelty, and animal neglect,” Lieu said. “Animal cruelty usually refers to a single act of harm on an animal. Animal neglect usually causes suffering that’s more extended or prolonged. Whether an animal is tortured or starved, too often the result is death. Either way, it’s a horrible way to die, and the penalties should be consistent.” 

Please send a letter to Councilwoman Jan Perry and Councilman Jose Huizar (August 2012)

LA City Councilmember Jan Perry/LA City Councilmemeber Jose Huizar 
200 N Spring St # 420 
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Jan.Perry@lacity.org, Councilmember.Huizar@lacity.org

Please copy and paste this letter into your email.  You can send the letter as it is, or customize it as you wish.  Also, please copyinfo@bunnyworldfoundation.org, Jim Bickhart (LA Mayor's Office) atjim.bickhart@lacity.org, Brenda F. Barnette (General Manager of LA Animal Services) at brenda.barnette@lacity.org and L.A. Animal Services Commission Secretary at ani.commission@lacity.org, (Kathleen Riordan, Alana Yanez, Lisa McCurdy, Tariq A. Khero, and Jim Jensvold),  Robert Ferber (L.A. City Attorney Animal Protection Unit) atRobert.Ferber@lacity.org, Horace Frank, Captain III (Central Division) aterrington.frank@lapd.lacity.org.  Thank you.

Dear (NAME):
   
Despite SB 917 which came into effect January 1, 2012 specifically targeting roadside animal SALES and the Ordinance No. 181851 which came into effect September 2011 specifically banning the PURCHASE of animals, the illegal animal sales in Los Angeles Fashion District and Santee Alley are thriving.

A California law has already been in place banning the sales for years, but the efforts to stop the practice by the authorities have been unsuccessful. The new law voted on in August and implemented in September 2011 was to carry a misdemeanor charge and impose fines from $250 up to $1,000 for anyone who buys, attempts to buy or even barters for a live animal on city streets and sidewalks, but the efforts to penalize buyers have have failed too. How is that possible?

The animals (puppies, kittens, birds, turtles, and bunnies) are STILL sold in filthy conditions without shade to protect them from the sun, without food or water. Many are sick and dying when sold as pets for children by children. Parvo infected puppies, unweaned kittens, and baby bunnies, paraded as "3 month old dwarfs" are consistently sold at 7 - 10 days old.  Children whose parents buy these bunnies are subjected to watching them suffer, seizure, and die a violent death days or hours after purchase. Not only is this an issue of animal cruelty and child labor, but a public safety as well. Baby bunnies are sold next to turtles which carry Salmonella naturally. The CDC warns against catching Salmonella from turtles that can spread other diseases as well, such as TB, chlamydiosis, arizonosis, and colibacillosis. The sale of turtles smaller than 4 inches has been banned since 1975; but this doesn't stop the illegal animal vendors from selling them. SB 917 Bill should have amended the Penal Code Section 594.4 to reflect increased and more consistent penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty and animal neglect by allowing a maximum sentence of up to one year in county jail for animal neglect and a fine of up to $20,000. 

Why aren't indicators signs warning people NOT to buy these animals up? And if they are, why are they NOT easily visible and effective?  How can the legislation be implemented if the public is not even made aware of the illegal status of the sales/purchases, let alone the fines/penalties for both sellers and buyers that are rather significant? ($250 first, $500 second, $1000 third offense).  Why are LAPD officers not enforcing Ordinance No. 181851? Why are buyers not cited and fined?  

We know Ms. Jan Perry has helped the Board of Animal Services Commission's initiative to implement the most recent ordinance in an effort to stop the illegal sales of all animals in Santee Alley.  She has shown the community that she does not condone cruelty to animals and that she is very concerned with public safety. However, legislation without implementation does not change the years of status quo in the three most illegal animal sales infested area of Los Angeles: LA Fashion District (Santee Alley), Chinatown, and Venice Beach. 

• Please urge the Mayor's office to speed up this very basic need and to LAUNCH AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN to ALERT THE PUBLIC to the animal cruelty issue, to accompany the very ordinance you supported and to post 'VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC'SIGNS in English, Spanish, and Chinese, informing the public that animal sales and purchases are illegal.
• Please urge LAPD to ACTIVELY FINE THE PURCHASERS (REFER TO ORDINANCE NO. 181851) of animals to decrease demand.  Word will get out that the kitten that was supposed to cost $20 actually ended up costing $270.00;
• Please urge LAPD to STEP UP UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS IN CONCERT WITH LAAS to make arrests, the vendors easily evade uniformed officers. 
• Please urge LAPD to ARREST THE VENDORS ON FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY/ANIMAL NEGLECT, NOT MISDEMEANOR ANIMAL SALES (REFER TO SB 917 RE ROADSIDE SALES OF ANIMALS). Either the LAPD should be empowered to determine that cruelty / neglect is taking place (they can be trained to recognize unweaned babies, lack of shade, no water provided, etc.) or Animal Services officers should work in tandem with LAPD downtown to identify cruelty and make arrests.

If we increase awareness and enforcement there is no doubt that we can wipe out this animal cruelty once and for all and erase this blot from our downtown streets.

Thank you!

Sincerely, (YOUR NAME)

PREVIOUS CORRESPONDENCE

Email Councilwoman Jan Perry & Councilman Jose Huizar (August 2011)

LA City Councilmember Jan Perry/LA City Councilmemeber Jose Huizar 
200 N Spring St # 420 
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Jan.Perry@lacity.org, Councilmember.Huizar@lacity.org

Please copy and paste this letter into your email.  You can send the letter as it is, or customize it as you wish.  Also, please copy info@bunnyworldfoundation.org, Jim Bickhart (LA Mayor's Office) at jim.bickhart@lacity.org, Brenda F. Barnette (General Manager of LA Animal Services) atbrenda.barnette@lacity.org and L.A. Animal Services Commission Secretary at ani.commission@lacity.org. Thank you.

RE: ORDINANCE NO. 181851: An ordinance amending Section 53.42 of Article 3, Chapter 5 of LA Municipal Code (LAMC) to add a prohibition on the purchase of animals on public streets and sidewalks to the existing prohibition on the sale of animals on public streets and sidewalks in the City of Los Angeles. (http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2009/09-0632_ord_181851.pdf) was introduced at the meeting of the Council of the City of LA August 3, 2011, and was passed at its meeting of August 10, 2011.

Dear Councilwoman Perry:

Dear Councilman Huizar:
   
Despite the recently passed ordinance which banned the purchase of animals, the illegal animal sales in Los Angeles Fashion District and Santee Alley are thriving. A California law has already been in place banning the sales for years, but the efforts to stop the practice by the authorities have been unsuccessful. The new law voted on in August and implemented in September 2011 was to carry a misdemeanor charge and impose fines from $250 up to $1,000 for anyone who buys, attempts to buy or even barters for a live animal on city streets and sidewalks.

As a concerned citizen and animal lover, I am shocked to discover that there are no indicators (signs?) to alert the public that this practice is illegal. The animals (puppies, kittens, birds, turtles, and bunnies) are STILL sold in filthy conditions without shade to protect them from the sun, without food or water. Many are sick and dying when sold as pets for children by children. Baby bunnies, paraded as "3 month old dwarfs" are consistently sold at 7 - 10 days old.  Children whose parents buy these bunnies are subjected to watching them suffer, seizure, and die a violent death days or hours after purchase. 

Not only is this an issue of animal cruelty and child labor, but a public safety as well. Baby bunnies are sold next to turtles which carry Salmonella naturally. The CDC warns against catching Salmonella from turtles that can spread other diseases as well, such as TB, chlamydiosis, arizonosis, and colibacillosis. The sale of turtles smaller than 4 inches has been banned since 1975; but this doesn't stop the illegal animal vendors from selling them. 

Why aren't the signs warning people NOT to buy these animals up? How can the legislation be implemented if the public is not even made aware of the illegal status of the sales/purchases, let alone the fines/penalties for both sellers and buyers that are rather significant? ($250 first, $500 second, $1000 third offense)

We know Ms. Jan Perry has helped the Board of Animal Services Commission's initiative to implement the most recent ordinance in an effort to stop the illegal sales of all animals in Santee Alley.  She has shown the community that she does not condone cruelty to animals and that she is very concerned with public safety. However, legislation without implementation does not change the years of status quo in the most infested area of Los Angeles - LA Fashion District and, more specifically, in Santee Alley. 

Please POST SIGNS in English, Spanish, and Chinese, informing the public that animal sales and purchases are illegal. Please urge the Mayor's office to speed up this very basic need to accompany the very ordinance you supported.

 Sincerely,

Email Councilwoman Jan Perry (August 2008)

LA City Councilmember Jan Perry
200 N Spring St # 420 
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Jan.Perry@lacity.org

Please copy and paste this letter into your email.  You can send the letter as it is, or customize it as you wish.  Also, copy us at info@bunnyworldfoundation.org.  Thank you.

Dear Councilwoman Perry:
   
As a concerned citizen and animal lover, I am shocked to discover that there are illegal animal sales going on in Santee Alley. These animals are in filthy conditions; they have no shade to protect them from the sun, no food or water. Many of them are sick or dying and are still being sold as pets for children.

Not only is this an issue of animal cruelty, it is a public safety issue as well. Today we are seeing a huge recall of tomatoes due to Salmonella outbreaks. The CDC also warns against catching Salmonella from turtles as well, which carry Salmonella naturally. Turtles can also spread other diseases, such as TB, chlamydiosis, arizonosis, and colibacillosis. The sale of turtles smaller than 4 inches has been banned since 1975; but this doesn't stop these people from selling them.

We know you are very concerned about sales of pirated goods in Los Angeles, and animals should be treated just as seriously as bogus DVDs, fake designer shoes and other goods. Please stop the illegal sale of all animals in Santee Alley. Please show the community that you do not condone cruelty to animals and that you are very concerned with public safety. We are asking you to start by posting signs, in English and Spanish, informing the public that animal sales are illegal.

Sincerely,