In 2014, the ASPCA announced its five-year, $25 million commitment to the city of Los Angeles, and our support could not have come at a more critical time. As one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, L.A.’s pet population problem is proportionately substantial: Last year, 61,000 animals entered one of six county shelters, and only about 56% made it out. A lot has been already been accomplished, but we still have a long way to go toward helping the city’s most at-risk pets.

In many areas of Los Angeles, spay/neuter resources are scarce, homeless dogs and cats roam the streets and housing restrictions impose limitations on pet ownership. The city’s already-overwhelmed shelter system is stretched to the brink with each new animal that enters its doors, which is why, in addition to opening a brick-and-mortar spay/neuter clinic, we worked to develop innovative animal relocation and safety net programs with an emphasis on keeping pets in homes. Our incredibly hard-working staff is dedicated to doing whatever it takes to support pet parents and to prevent animals from being surrendered or lost within the system—animals like Chubster and Lucky.

Chubster and Lucky are two one-year-old Boxers who belong to Yeni and Edvin Castillo. The Castillos are young parents with a newborn baby, and in January, they were devastated to discover that Chubster and Lucky had escaped from their home. The two dogs were picked up by an Animal Control Officer and taken to the county’s Baldwin Park Animal Care Center.

Yeni and Edvin located the dogs immediately, but unfortunately, they were unable to afford the necessary redemption fees to get them out, which included the cost of mandatory neuter operations. They were ready and willing to do anything necessary to be reunited with their beloved pets, and thankfully, our Safety Net program provided the extra guidance and financial assistance needed to get the dogs neutered, released from the shelter and returned to their loving home.

 “Thank you for helping me and my family reunite with our babies, Chubster and Lucky,” Yeni said. “They are so happy to be home and so are we. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the hard work that you do for these animals—how you help families stay with their loved ones is just an awesome feeling. Without the ASPCA we would not have been able to take our dogs back.”

Chubster and Lucky are just two of the many animals we assist in Los Angeles every single day—including more than 3,400 in 2015 alone. Our presence in this city is relatively new, but our commitment to its residents and pets runs deep. One by one, we will continue to make an impact until every animal is safe, loved and in a happy home.