Brief

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez introduced a motion, seconded by Bob Blumenfield, to establish or fund a pet sterilization voucher and coupon program for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The program aims to make spaying and neutering services more affordable for Los Angeles residents. The Council adopted the item on June 5, 2026, by a vote of 10-0-5. The Department of Animal Services subsequently submitted documentation on June 25, 2026, which was referred to the Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee on June 26, 2026.

Full summary

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez moved to direct the Department of Animal Services to report on the use of its pet sterilization voucher program during fiscal year 2025-2026. The motion was prompted by two concerns: the City is not keeping pace with sterilization demand, and there are reports that residents from other Los Angeles County cities have been accessing a program intended for LA residents only. City law requires all cats and dogs over four months of age to be spayed or neutered, and the Department offers up to 725 vouchers per week through two tracks — a partial subsidy open to all residents (up to $30 for cats, $50 for dogs and rabbits) and a full-cost certificate available only to low-income households meeting HUD income limits. The motion directed the department to break down voucher usage by participating veterinarian, zip code, animal type, and the average number of days per week the weekly allotment was available. The Department of Animal Services responded with a June 25, 2026 report signed by General Manager Gabrielle Amster that provided the requested data and broader program context. The report revealed that budget constraints in FY 2025-26 forced the department to institute first a monthly, then a weekly cap on vouchers issued, because the allocated funding of $4,749,541 was insufficient to sustain prior-year redemption levels even after the Council had separately approved an increase in the value of free certificates — raised to $120 per cat, $195 per dog, and $125 per rabbit — following veterinarian complaints that the old rates did not cover actual procedure costs. Pets adopted directly from City shelters are exempt from the cap, as state law requires those animals to be sterilized before transfer. Looking ahead, the department noted that the proposed FY 2026-27 budget allocates $6,502,335 for the Spay and Neuter Program — an increase of roughly $1.75 million — which it projects will fund approximately 8,000 additional sterilizations and allow the weekly voucher allotment to grow. The report recommends the Council note and file it as informational. The motion was referred to the Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee on April 14, 2026, approved there on May 26, and adopted by the full Council 10-0 on June 5, 2026. The department's follow-up report was referred back to the same committee on June 26, 2026, where the file currently remains open and pending.

Activity (8)

• 2026-06-26 Department of Animal Services document(s) referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee.
• 2026-06-25 Document submitted by Department of Animal Services, dated June 25, 2026.
• 2026-06-09 Council action final.
• 2026-06-05 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-06-02 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on June 5, 2026.
• 2026-05-26 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-05-21 Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on May 26, 2026.
• 2026-04-14 Motion referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee.

Documents (7)

• 2026-06-25 Report from Department of Animal Services · report
• 2026-06-25 Attachment to Report dated 6-25-26 - Spay and Neuter Voucher Statistics · attachment
• 2026-06-09 Council Action · council_action
• 2026-06-05 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-05-26 Report from Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee · report
• 2026-05-26 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-04-14 Motion · motion

Council votes (1)

• 2026-06-05 Adopted — 10-0-5 · Regular