LA residents raise concerns over homeless pet ownership

Marathon runner Don McGreal was on a morning jog near Marina Del Rey last week when he says a dog belonging to a homeless woman lunged at him, sinking its teeth into both of his legs.

"It looked like he'd been attacked by a bear. His legs were covered in blood," said McGreal's wife Celia Williamson, who rushed him to the ER.

Celia wrote about the dog attack on the app Nextdoor, and at least four other people posted that they, or their friends or neighbors, had also been been mauled by the same dog, belonging to the same homeless woman.

"She always looks very strung out. She looked like she could be on drugs" Celia Williamson told the I-Team.

There are between 3,000 to 6,000 dogs and other pets belonging to homeless people in the greater LA area, according to the LA Homeless Service Authority. 

Numerous NBC4 viewers have contacted the I-Team, concerned because they've observed pets owned by unhoused people that aren't being properly cared for, and they've told us about dogs that have become violent, attacking people.

"The owner didn't have control of the dog, and it lunged and ripped my calf open," said Scott Palmer, who said he was also bitten by the same dog near Marina Del Rey, the day before Don McGreal was bitten.

But when concerned resident call LA Animal Control about neglected or violent pets belonging to the homeless, they tell the I-Team the agency does little or nothing to protect the animals or the public.

"I wanted them to come out, monitor the dog, see if the dog is in good health, see if the dog is a threat to society," said Celia Williamson, who called LA Animal Services after her husband was bitten by that dog on Jan. 3.

"They said they only have two investigators for all of West Los Angeles and they don't have the manpower to handle a case like this," Williamson told the I-Team

But Williamson says something else that two different Animal Services officers told her, on separate occasions, upset her even more.

"That they were being instructed from the Mayor that... they're not allowed to take homeless dogs away from the homeless... even if the dog is dangerous," Williamson added.

Across LA in the West Valley, another concerned resident, Fawn Asilia, has also reported a dog belonging to a homeless person, which she says wasn't getting enough food or water.

"The dog's water dish is upside down with no water in it, and there's no food in the food dish. The dog's house was tipped over and there's feces and urine all over the ground," Asili says she's observed numerous times, when she walks by a homeless encampment on Corbin Avenue in Winnetka.

Asili says she's tried talking to the dog's owner, a homeless woman living in a tent in the encampment, but says she's concerned the woman appears unable to care for the dog, and doesn’t have access to any services, including basic hygiene.

"She apparently can't care for herself properly, so how can she care for an animal?" Asili observed. So she called LA Animal Services.

"I think they need to come take the dog. This animal would be better off in a shelter and hopefully somebody would rescue it, and give the animal a good home," Asili told NBC4.

But Asili says Animal Services wouldn't do that. They told her they went and checked on the dog, said it appeared to be getting fed, and said, "The dog has to be in distress for us to do anything."

The I-Team wanted to discuss our viewers' concerns, so we requested an interview with Staycee Dains, the general manager of LA Animal Services -- an agency with a $26.9 million dollar a year taxpayer funded budget.

Animal Services did not respond to NBC4's interview request, or the specific incidents, but sent a statement saying, "The department... if necessary, removes animals from owners in cases of abuse, neglect... in addition, animals may be removed from owners if the animal is demonstrating potentially dangerous behavior.”

The agency also said, "LA Animal Services is under no such order from the Mayor" to not remove problem animals from homeless people, even if the dogs are a danger to the public.

Additionally, Mayor Karen Bass' spokesperson told the I-Team that Animal Services was "never under any such direction by the Mayor" regarding pets belonging to homeless people.

Some West LA residents who live near the homeless woman whose dog has attacked people are still waiting for Animal Services to take action.

"I want us to feel safe, to be able to go out in our neighborhoods and not feel like we're living in the wild and can be attacked by an animal," Celia Williamson told the I-Team. 

Full Statement from LA Animal Services:

The priority is to promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of animals and Angelenos. The Department’s policy for removal is not based on whether or not the animal’s owner is housed or unhoused. The department works to resolve all situations and, if necessary, removes animals from owners in cases of abuse, neglect, or cruelty resulting in physical injury/pain. In addition, animals may be removed from owners if the animal is demonstrating potentially dangerous behavior. Experiencing homelessness is not, by itself, a reason to remove someone’s companion animal.

If Angelenos are at risk due to a dangerous animal, LAAS may remove the animal.

LA Animal Services is under no such order from the Mayor. If this did happen, it was an independent actor speaking with no authority or knowledge on this issue. We apologize to the person referenced on behalf of that individual misrepresenting department policy.  

Anyone with complaints can visit the LAAS website to find a list of our shelters to alert the department.