Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control - Downey Shelter

n the United States, efforts to protect and control domestic animals, primarily dogs, cats and horses, began early in the 19th century. In 1863, the City of Los Angeles group with dogestablished a public animal pound. A few years later, in 1872, a municipal ordinance was approved that directed the city Marshall to register and license dogs.

two men On June 6, 1895, the County adopted a law establishing animal pound districts. On Sept. 29, 1937, at the height of a statewide rabies epidemic in California, the Board of Supervisors established a Pound Department. The new department was created in direct response to the fact that 1,700 rabies cases were reported in Los Angeles County that year.

During the early years there were no housing facilities, no animal control equipment and very little staffing. There were 22 humane societies in the county and they were paid to provide housing for impounded animals. By 1945, it had become apparent the humane societies could not meet the housing and care needs. Construction began for the county’s first animal care facility at 11258 S. Garfield Avenue in Downey. That shelter opened on July 1, 1946. At that time, the county population (outside the City of Los Angeles) was only about 70,000 people.

During the post-war building boom of the 1950’s and 1960’s, additional county shelters were opened in Baldwin Park (1958), Lancaster (1959), Carson (1961), Castaic (1972) and Agoura Hills in (1976).

In January 1968, the Pound Department name was changed to Department of Animal Control. During this period, the Department was given the responsibility for group of men licensing and regulating pet kennels, pet shops and other animal-related businesses. In 1978, the department was renamed Animal Care and Control to reflect its increasing professionalism and scope of duties.

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