Questions raised over 2 dogs euthanized at South LA Animal Shelter

Questions are being raised about two dogs euthanized at the South Los Angeles Animal Shelter that rescue groups say were on hold for pickup, but Los Angeles Animal Services says otherwise.

Rescue groups told NBCLA that plans for the adoptions of both Indigo and Jonny Boy had already been arranged, but on the days they were set to be picked up both were euthanized. Now, the people who wanted to bring the dogs home are demanding accountability.

The dogs were euthanized within days of each other at the shelter in October.

“I called my wife and my wife was pretty upset,” said Larry Sehorn, who planned to adopt Indigo. “And she was like, ‘Well, I don’t know how to tell the kids.’ And, I was like, ‘I don’t know how to tell them either.'”

Sehorn and his family thought they were set to pick up 6-year-old Indigo on Oct. 21. They recently lost their beloved 15-year-old pit bull Tonka to cancer and were ready to open their home and hearts to another dog.

Indigo was surrendered to the shelter after his family could no longer care for him and described as an affectionate and loving pit bull mix. A rescue group had helped Sehorn secure Indigo for adoption and coordinated the arrangements for pickup.

“It’s just sad that like, that was a family pet that unfortunately, that due to circumstances, he lost his home and was about to get a second chance,” Sehorn said. “And, instead, is no longer here.”

In a statement to NBCLA, LA Animal Services said, in part: “Indigo was scheduled for euthanasia on October 20th… When the shelter received a call from an individual who stated there was a potential adopter for Indigo, the shelter extended Indigo’s euthanasia date to October 21st and communicated the adopter needed to be at the shelter by 8 a.m. No one arrived for Indigo at 8 a.m., and the shelter received no further communication that morning so Indigo was euthanized at noon.”

Both the rescue group and Sehorn said a deadline for pickup was never communicated by the shelter during their phone call, and they planned to pick up Indigo before the shelter closed at 5 p.m.

“How can you be that heartless? Like, that’s a living animal,” Sehorn said. “That’s a living thing that you just, oh, I’m just going to kill it. Like, why? Why couldn’t they have called and said, hey, are you going to pick up this dog?”

Two days later on Oct. 23, 2-year-old Jonny Boy met a similar fate.

Jonny Boy arrived at the shelter as a stray. He was microchipped, but no one ever came for him. Jonny Boy was described as a friendly and energetic pit bull mix.

“I was heartbroken,” said Madison Giammona, a Los Angeles Animal Services volunteer who was set to foster Jonny Boy. “He was such a sweet dog.”

A rescue group says they emailed the shelter at 6:45 a.m. on Oct. 23 confirming their interest in taking Jonny Boy. The same form of communication and timeframe the rescue group tells NBCLA the shelter had previously accepted as adequate notice for rescues to place dogs on hold.

But when the dog transporter arrived at 9 a.m. to pick him up, Jonny Boy was already gone. According to the shelter, his euthanasia process started between 8:30 and 8:45 that morning.

“The dogs do have an exit plan, and you still proceed with euthanization,” Giammona said. “It just makes no sense and is heartbreaking.”

In a statement to NBCLA, LA Animal Services said, in part: “Jonny Boy was moved to the euthanasia alert on October 18th, with a clearly stated deadline of October 22nd. As of 5:16 p.m. on October 22nd, the shelter received no emails, calls or text with a firm rescue commitment for the dog.”

“I think they really pick and choose when they want to save a dog or if they don’t, and it’s so disheartening,” Giammona said.

Giammona and Sehorn are demanding reassurance from the shelter this won’t happen again.

“When I got told that it happened again, at the same exact shelter, I’m like, ‘What the heck?’ I was like, okay, this is not a coincidence,” Sehorn said.

They are pushing for policy changes that give dogs in shelters a real chance to thrive, especially when adopters and fosters are ready to step in, demanding the shelter provide straightforward guidelines on when dogs can be pulled and ensure that the interested parties are notified before any dog marked for rescue is euthanized.

“Just accountability from the shelter itself, and when there are people who are willing to come forward and help, that we are able to just make sure it is an easy procedure to get them out,” said Giammona.

LA Animal Services told NBCLA that both dogs had clear deadlines and behavior concerns, but acknowledged that people may feel upset and disappointed over both of them being euthanized.