The LA County Department of Animal Care & Control (DACC) announced on July 13 that it will continue to operate by appointment only. The policy was first implemented last year at the start of the pandemic, but the department liked it so well it is making it permanent. The closest DACC facility to Malibu is in Agoura Hills.
The shelter system emphasizes it will continue to serve the public, conduct adoptions, reunite lost pets with their families and offer low-cost veterinary services while complying with any COVID-19 requirements.
“The appointment-based service has dramatically improved animal well-being in the care centers,” a DACC spokesperson wrote in a prepared statement. “We have seen a 53 percent reduction in respiratory illness in dogs and 82 percent reduction in respiratory illness in cats as a result of controlling the flow of people visiting the animal care centers. Animals are less stressed and able to receive individualized care by staff and volunteers … As a result of the benefits to the animals and people we serve, DACC will continue with appointment-based services.”
A statement from the public information officer for DACC, Don Belton, further justified the decision to remain closed to the public by adding, “Our staff experiences the calm in our animal care centers with animals able to take naps and relax throughout the day. Many of the animals that come to us are sick or injured, and a calm environment lets them heal … All of our animals are listed and posted on our website, available for viewing and inquiry by the public (unless in quarantine or held as legal evidence).”
Anyone interested in providing foster care can sign up for online training on the DACC website.
Anyone interested in adopting, reclaiming a lost pet or partaking in any other in-person activity may email the Animal Care Center directly for more information and to schedule an appointment. In Agoura, that address is: agoura@animalcare.lacounty.gov.