The Culver City Animal Services Program -- A Dream Becomes a Permanent Public Safety City Service

Deborah Weinrauch

Theodore Herzl once said:  “If you will it, it is no dream.”

That statement is so true when it comes to Culver City.  Every school, business, house, park, in fact every aspect of life in our unique city began as a dream, and with the work of a caring government and the community, those dreams became reality.

Such has been the case with the Culver City Animal Services Program that began as a dream in 1999.  A group of Culver City residents joined as Friends of Culver City Animals (www.friendsofculvercityanimals.org) and decided that Culver City residents and animals deserved the same high quality animal-related services that residents, pets and wildlife in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Lawndale, Torrance, West Hollywood, Hawthorne and many other cities already enjoyed. 

Beginning in 2008 with the support of the City Council and the Culver City Police Department, an enviable local Animal Services Program was created from scratch.  Now if a resident has questions about licensing a dog, loses a pet, finds someone else’s pet, has neighbors with a barking dog, sees an injured or dead animal, encounters visiting skunks, raccoons, possums or other wildlife, Animal Services Officer Corolla Fleeger is available to help. (www.culvercitypd.org/animalservices)

The City Council did not stop with the hiring of Officer Fleeger; they also made sure that our lost and homeless animals were going to receive proper care in a local shelter.   In November 2008 the Council voted unanimously to house Culver City animals in the humane, friendly and clean spcaLA South Bay shelter where the goal is to find a home for each animal.  This has been a win-win for everyone, with the spcaLA providing an extensive and comprehensive list of  services such as humane education classes, adoption events, vaccination and microchip clinics, emergency training, low cost spay/neuter services and much more.  (www.spcala.com)

The local Animal Services Program has proven to be so successful that on June 5, 2012 it officially became a permanent city program.  Thanks to past and present members of the City Council and the Police Department, a dream has come true that has forged new friendships, positive working relationships, helped countless residents, saved lives, and given a voice to the voiceless.  Friends of Culver City Animals continues to serve Culver City residents through education, networking and assistance on a 24/7 basis.

On a final note for dog owners:  “If you license your pet, they will come home.  If you don’t, they are all alone.”  By law, every Culver City pup must be licensed to ensure your dog will never end up hopeless in a shelter.  If you have not done so already, the time to license your dog is today.  For a minimal fee, a license is life insurance for your dog.  (www.petdata.com)

Deborah Weinrauch is the Director of Friends of Culver City Animals.