Mayor Karen Bass’s proposed 2026–27 City budget increases Los Angeles Animal Services’ (LAAS) budget by just $465,640 (+1.6%) and the City’s spay/neuter fund by less than $1 million. These are marginal adjustments that leave a chronically underfunded system without the resources needed to function effectively. 

Los Angeles incurs millions of dollars each year in avoidable costs related to its animal welfare system. A targeted, near-term investment in spay/neuter and Animal Services staffing through LA’s budget can begin to stabilize the system and address the underlying drivers of these expenses.

The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) has released a feasibility study exploring how pet-inclusive housing policies can help address housing and equity challenges across the county.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 519 into law, banning exploitative online pet dealers in California. Authored by Assemblymember Marc Berman, the law closes a major enforcement gap that allowed brokers to sidestep the state’s 2019 ban on pet-store sales of dogs from inhumane commercial breeders. 

The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-0 to exclude shelter animal spay & neuter providers and the Citywide Cat Program from increased coverage newly offered through the City’s Spay and Neuter Voucher Program—an unexpected reversal of their recent vote to expand access to the free voucher.

Los Angeles City Council raises spay/neuter voucher amounts, but underfunding threatens impact. MCPP urges full funding to tackle pet overpopulation and shelter overcrowding.

Colorado makes history with the passage of H.B.25-1207, a groundbreaking pet-inclusive housing law ending breed discrimination and expanding access to pet-friendly, affordable housing. Backed by Michelson Center for Public Policy, the bill supports housing stability for vulnerable renters and their pets.

SB 1233 aims to address the veterinary shortage and reduce pet overpopulation in California, ensuring more timely and accessible spay/neuter services.

Assembly Bill 2012 would require the Department of Public Health to resume collecting specified data, including in-take figures and categories of outcomes such as adoptions and euthanasia, from public animal shelters as part of their annual rabies control activities reporting.

Last week, individuals and organizations advocating for animals rallied at Los Angeles City Hall and asked our city leaders to do more to fix the overcrowding crisis afflicting our local shelters. As the largest private animal welfare foundation in Los Angeles for the past two decades, we feel compelled to weigh in.

Welcome to the Fall 2023 edition of our Michelson Center for Public Policy (MCPP) newsletter. Government is the great lever of change to catalyze sustainable, scalable, and replicable solutions.

Michelson Center for Public Policy applauds Governor Gavin Newsom and California State Legislature for enacting legislation to improve the lives of Californians and their pets

A Key Component to Addressing California’s Homelessness Crisis is Pet-Inclusive Affordable and Temporary Housing. The following is an opinion piece published in Capitol Weekly and authored by Brett Yates, CEO of Michelson Found Animals.

Michelson Found Animals Foundation lauded the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for passing a motion to significantly reduce animal shelter euthanasia

Because it helps people and animals, the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 has received over 200 endorsements, including 21 biotech companies, 34 medical associations and patient advocacy groups, and 135 animal welfare organizations.

New legislation will allow more innovative and human-relevant testing platforms to expedite the development of promising drugs, write Dr. Gary Michelson and Dr. Aysha Akhtar.

Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), and Cori Bush (D-MO) cited Michelson Found Animals Foundation’s (MFA) recent Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative (PIHI) report when introducing a new bill that will allow families to keep their beloved pets in the home by prohibiting vague and sweeping restrictions against dogs based on breed or size.

Dr. Gary Michelson discussed Michelson Found Animals Foundation’s work on pet-inclusive housing policies and animal welfare during Pet Week on Capitol Hill.

New legislation aims to get safer, cheaper drugs to patients more quickly, kick-starting innovation, reducing animal testing, and putting best test methods to work.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC-01) today introduced the Minks in Narrowly Kept Spaces Are Superspreaders Act (MINKS Act), legislation to end mink factory farming following recent research from Animal Wellness Action.