Nearly 200 Dogs Euthanized At LA County Shelter Amid Viral Outbreak

LOS ANGELES, CA — After four months and hundreds of dog euthanizations, an outbreak of canine distemper disease at the Lancaster animal shelter was finally quelled by Los Angeles County officials in November.

While operations at the facility are returning to normal, the county’s response – including the euthanization of 193 dogs in October alone – has left some animal welfare advocates questioning if more could have been done to save the animals.

In mid July, officials at the Lancaster Animal Care Center recorded the county-run facility’s first case of a dog with distemper, a serious viral disease with symptoms that can range from mild fever and diarrhea to more major neurological disturbances like seizures and paralysis. It spreads through direct contact between infected animals and respiratory droplets.

The disease can be fatal. Dogs that do survive usually have permanent nervous system damage, according to the American Kennel Club.

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The Lancaster facility responded with testing, vaccinations, suspension of surgeries, enhanced cleaning protocols, limiting the intake of puppies and public vaccination clinics, county Department of Animal Care and Control spokesman Christopher Valles told Patch.

“Once animals started showing symptoms at the Care Center, we did our best to treat the animals that were in our care,” he said. But in some cases, officials responded with euthanasia.

In October, 193 dogs showing signs of or testing positive for distemper were euthanized at the shelter, according to Valles.

The Lancaster shelter is by far the busiest of the county’s seven facilities. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the shelter admitted over 5,000 dogs. The majority were adopted, returned to their owners or rescued. But 997 – or 19.65% – were euthanized, an average of 83 per month, according to county data.

This fiscal year – which began just days before the outbreak – the shelter’s euthanasia rate so far has been nearly double: 37.86%.

“I want to acknowledge that it is always incredibly difficult for our staff, volunteers, and anyone who cares about animals when the heartbreaking decision to humanely euthanize an animal is made,” Valles said in an email. “These decisions are never taken lightly; they are made with the utmost concern for the health and safety of both the animals in our care and the broader community. Our primary goal is to contain this disease within the care center population and prevent a potential outbreak in the community.”

Dr. Jane E. Sykes, professor of veterinary medicine at the University of California Davis, told Patch that distemper is a “devastating” disease for dogs that most often occurs in shelters. In the U.S., it’s less common among pet dogs.

“This disease is a problem in shelters across the country,” she said. “Distemper is one of the most devastating diseases in terms of the need for euthanasia of dogs in shelters.”

In this case, Valles said county officials traced the start of the outbreak “to the community” in eastern Lancaster. Part of the county’s response was holding free vaccination clinics for pet owners and vaccinating or administering a booster for dogs in the county’s care, he said.

“Vaccination is really effective in preventing it,” Sykes said, noting that the shot is effective in preventing infection “within hours.” That’s why it’s crucial for pet owners to vaccinate their animals, especially amid growing evidence that “vaccine hesitancy” seen among some humans is creeping into the care they give their pets, she said.

Shelters face major challenges in responding to distemper, Sykes said.

Screening for distemper comes in the form of PCR tests, which can be pricey. Just like human COVID-19 tests, the results are not available immediately at the point of testing. Vaccinations are key in the fight to prevent distemper, but puppies’ immune responses mean that only dogs of above a certain age can get the shot, she said.

Additionally, effective quarantine and isolation can be difficult, especially in often-overcrowded facilities. Dogs in stressful, overcrowded conditions often suffer from suppressed immune systems, which increases the likelihood of severe distemper illness, Sykes said.

Overcrowding is a constant, major problem at LA County’s facilities.

In May, officials deemed the problem “critical,” writing “our shelters face a severe overcrowding crisis. “Without immediate help, healthy, adoptable pets are at risk of euthanasia simply due to lack of space,” officials wrote.

The county Board of Supervisors in 2024 passed legislation to address overcrowding, noting problems with a shortage of veterinary professionals, people surrendering their pets after returning to work post-pandemic and a shortage of cities in the county with spay-and-neuter laws, mandatory microchipping policies and free vaccine clinics.

Cities enter into contracts with the county to provide shelter services through the county’s Animal Care Centers. Ordinances were in place mandating spaying/neutering and microchipping in unincorporated areas, as well as 28 of the 45 contract cities in the county as of June, according to the Department of Animal Care and Control.

In a letter that month obtained by Patch, the department’s director wrote to the Lancaster city manager urging that city to pass such ordinances.

A Lancaster city spokesperson did not respond to Patch’s request for comment.

'Heartbreaking' Decisions

The news of nearly 200 euthanizations in October at the Lancaster shelter raised alarms in the tight-knit social media circles of local animal advocates.

That includes Joey Tuccio, a core member of the Starts With One Today rescue organization. He’s posted several times blasting county officials’ response and calling for the Board of Supervisors to take action, including launching an investigation into the matter.

“There’s such a complacency and a quietness about what goes on in the shelter and in the streets – 'The dogs can’t talk, so let's sweep it under the rug,'” he told Patch.

Tuccio said Animal Care officials and county leaders should have put out a call to action to organizations like his to help quarantine dogs. “Dogs would still be alive today if they weren’t lazy about it,” he said.

Animal Care officials said that was not an option.

“Placing potentially sick dogs into foster care with rescue organizations would be irresponsible, as it could lead to the spread of the disease to more dogs in Los Angeles County and beyond,” Valles said.

Tuccio's vision may be best reflected in a case study published by the University of Florida, in which veterinary professionals challenged the common understanding that "distemper in any dog leads to euthanasia of every dog in the shelter," though that shelter was dealing with just 25 dogs sick with distemper.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Lancaster, praised Animal Care officials’ response, including the “heartbreaking” decisions regarding euthanasia she said were guided by experts at UC Davis and the ASPCA.

“They acted quickly and decisively. Their response included enhanced testing, strict quarantine measures, vaccine boosters, and — when necessary — humane euthanasia to prevent further suffering and spread of the distemper outbreak. The focus was on keeping dogs healthy and saving as many dogs as possible,” Barger wrote in a statement to Patch.

“This outbreak is a clear reminder of the importance of responsible pet care and preventive health measures,” she continued. “I urge pet owners across Los Angeles County, especially in the Antelope Valley, to ensure their dogs are vaccinated with the DHPP vaccine and to utilize the low-cost clinics and community wellness events offered by the County’s Department of Animal Care and Control.”

To view adoptable pets and learn about supporting the Department of Animal Care and Control, visit its website.