It is summertime and the phones at the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) are busier than ever. Our communications center team report many of these calls are to complain about barking dogs. “Is this because it is warm, windows are open and more outdoor sounds are making their way into homes?” wonders one customer service employee. This may be part of the problem.

You might have heard of “kitten season” and wondered what that means exactly.  It’s really three seasons in one, starting in spring, peaking in late spring or early summer, and ending in fall.  Kitten season is the time of year when lots of cats give birth, flooding animal shelters and rescue groups across the nation with homeless litters. Each year we receive thousands of orphaned kittens at our seven animal care centers. We need your help! Become a foster TODAY!

In recent years, pet friendly workplaces have become more and more commonplace. In 2016 the Society for Human Resource Management estimated that 7% of workplaces are now pet-friendly. Having a pet friendly workplace can make work more fun and is a job perk that may help recruit or retain top talent in today’s competitive job market. A study conducted in 2010 found that having pets in the workplace makes people more productive, while a 2017 study found that allowing pets encourages collaboration amongst employees. While having pets in the office can lightens spirits and brings much needed stress relief, without proper guidelines and arrangements pets in the office can create tension and turmoil.