Hollywood's Heart: City Animal Shelters in Los Angeles

Famous for its glitz and glamor, Los Angeles is more than its bustling streets and serene beaches. It is also home to some of the most compassionate communities working tirelessly for animals in need. Here is a list of city animal shelters in the City of Angels you need to explore and lend a hand to.

Los Angeles Animal Services

221 N. Figueroa Street, Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Established 153 years ago, the City of Los Angeles Animal Services Department runs six animal shelters. It serves approximately 60,000 animals and responds to an average of 20,000 emergency calls each year, making it one of the largest municipal shelter systems in the US. LA Animal Services takes pride in being a leader on progressive animal issues. The city was the first to pass the ban on the use of the elephant bull hook, which inspired other cities to do the same.

Learn more about South LA Animal Shelter

Best Friends

1845 Pontius Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025

With only 56% of the dogs and cats coming out alive in the city's animal shelters, Best Friends worked side-by-side with LA Animal Services and the No-Kill Los Angeles (NKLA) Coalition in 2012. In 2020, the rate increased to 90%, and they have been able to maintain this high rate until today. Best Friends created the NKLA initiative and then the NKLA Coalition to bring together rescue groups, animal welfare organizations, and compassionate individuals to save as many homeless pets as they can.

Learn more about Best Friends

Deity Animal Rescue

148 S Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90211

With a strong passion for helping stray, neglected, and shelter dogs, Deity Animal Rescue takes in dogs regardless of breed, age, and ease of placement. They aim to adhere to a strict adoption process to ensure that they find the best possible matches for each dog. This city animal shelter also educates the public about making a difference in the lives of animals in their communities. Its focus includes pet sterilization, animal welfare, and adopting from shelters instead of buying from a breeder.

Learn more about Deity Animal Rescue

Bunny World Foundation

4470 W Sunset Blvd Ste 482., Los Angeles, CA 90027

Unveiling the horrors that animals suffer in Santee Alley, the downtown Los Angeles garment district, the Bunny World Foundation focuses on helping rabbits in need. It aims to fight animal cruelty, illegal animal sales, exploitation, and neglect of all animals. To fulfill this goal, it has set up shelters, rescue efforts, public education, investigations, legislation, events, and media attention. Its 16-year existence has resulted in the rescue of over 20,000 rabbits in Los Angeles.

Learn more about Bunny World Foundation

Westside German Shepherd Rescue

3016 S Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90007

Dedicated to saving the lives of German Shepherds from high-kill shelters, the Westside German Shepherd Rescue helps these dogs find their forever families. However, they have a stringent adoption process to ensure that these dogs go to qualified homes that will give them the life they deserve. If you have a soft spot for German Shepherds, you can donate, volunteer, or provide administrative support.

Learn more about Westside German Shepherd Rescue

spcaLA Pet Adoption Center

5026 W Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016

An independent non-profit animal welfare organization, spcaLA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles), has been helping needy animals in the Southern California area since 1877. It believes that animals are entitled to legal, moral, and ethical consideration and protection. They work tirelessly to provide quality lives to their shelter animals by providing personalized care plans, veterinary care, training, and enrichment activities. 

Learn more about spcaLA Pet Adoption Center

Pasadena Humane

361 S Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105

More than a city animal shelter, Pasadena Humane is a community-supported resource center that has existed since 1903. It provides lifesaving programs and services for animals and their humans. In addition to shelter, care, and new lives for animals in need, the center focuses on its adoption and foster programs, including free spay and neuter services. It also provides vaccines, a food pantry, and an animal support call center.

Learn more about Pasadena Humane

betterTogether Forever

PO Box 21172, Glendale, CA 91221

While not your traditional animal shelter, betterTogether Forever provides support and resources to pet owners in under-resourced communities. It helps them keep their pets safe, healthy, and away from shelters. It offers various programs like the Unsheltered People with Pets (UPP) program to support pet parents who have no homes of their own. It also hosts pet wellness clinics, spay and neuter funding, pet tags, and microchips.

Learn more about betterTogether Forever

PET PRIDE

3350 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034

Founded in 1965, PET PRIDE runs a no-kill and cage-free shelter for the lifetime care of cats in need. It boasts a cage-free, fully furnished "Home for Cats," explicitly designed to give cats the pleasure and enjoyment they deserve. It is one of the US's oldest and most well-known charitable organizations, especially for cats. This animal shelter aims to control the cat population problem through education on the merits of spaying and neutering. 

Learn more about PET PRIDE

The REAL Bark

3740 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026

A non-profit dog rescue organization, The REAL Bark focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming dogs. It aims to heal and right the wrongs done to discarded, abused, and neglected doggos. It offers adoption and fostering opportunities to give these dogs new, protected, and celebrated lives. 

Learn more about The REAL Bark 

San Gabriel Valley Humane Society

851 E Grand Ave, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Founded in 1924, the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society has been helping animals in need through a wide array of services. These include animal control, low-cost veterinary services, and pet adoptions. The society also helps with microchipping, provides medical and behavioral evaluation, and offers low-cost vaccination and spay/neuter services to the public.

Learn more about the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society