Brief

The Mayor initiated an agreement for Stray Cat Alliance to provide operations and animal care services at the city-owned Jefferson Park Animal Services Center located at 3612 11th Avenue. The arrangement involves the nonprofit managing stray cat programs at the facility. The Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee approved the agreement on September 16, 2026, after initial referral and rerouting through the city clerk. The file is now pending further council action.

Full summary

The Mayor and the Department of Animal Services are seeking Council approval to execute a three-year agreement with Stray Cat Alliance, a nonprofit, to operate the Jefferson Park Animal Services Center at 3612 11th Avenue in Council District 10. The contract runs from August 27, 2025 through August 26, 2028, with three one-year extension options exercisable at the Department's discretion. The agreement is cost-neutral to the City's General Fund: Stray Cat Alliance provides all staffing, equipment, and supplies at its own expense, while the City covers utility costs through the Water and Electricity Fund. Under the agreement, Stray Cat Alliance is required to perform a substantial volume of services annually, including at least 5,200 spay and neuter surgeries, 6,000 low-cost vaccinations, and more than 1,600 low-cost wellness visits for pets owned by the public. The organization must also pull at least 250 dogs with medical issues, 200 cats, and 800 unweaned kittens from the Department's six citywide shelters each year for adoption placement. The center must be open to the public a minimum of 30 hours per week, and Stray Cat Alliance must offer at least 60 free dog training classes annually to the South Los Angeles community. The City reimburses Stray Cat Alliance for sterilizations performed using Department-issued vouchers at Council-approved rates ranging from $30 for a cat discount coupon to $195 for a free certificate for dogs. The contractual relationship between the City and Stray Cat Alliance has a long history at this site. The facility was reopened following decommissioning after a 2016 motion from Council District 10 identified the need for additional animal services in South LA. Best Friends Animal Society was the original lead operator beginning in 2018, with Stray Cat Alliance serving as a subcontractor. After that contract expired in April 2024, the Department entered successive short-term agreements with Stray Cat Alliance directly. Following a January 2023 RFP to which Stray Cat Alliance was the sole respondent, the Department negotiated the current long-term agreement, which was approved by the Board of Animal Services Commissioners on January 13, 2026, and transmitted to the Mayor and Council in mid-2026. The file was submitted on August 18, 2026, referred to committee, and then rereferred to the Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee on August 28 pursuant to Council File No. 26-2000. On September 11, 2026, the committee scheduled the item for its September 16, 2026 meeting. Council approval is required under the Los Angeles Administrative Code because the arrangement involves use of City-owned real property for a term exceeding four months. The file remains open and pending committee action.

Activity (5)

• 2026-09-16 Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-09-11 Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 16, 2026.
• 2026-08-28 City Clerk rereferred item to Arts, Parks, and City Facilities Committee, pursuant to Council File No. 26-2000.
• 2026-08-19 City Administrative Officer document(s) referred to Arts, Parks, Libraries, and Community Enrichment Committee.
• 2026-08-18 Document submitted by the Mayor, City Attorney; Mayor report dated July 31, 2026.

Documents (1)

• 2026-07-31 Report from City Administrative Officer · report