North Central Animal Care and Control
Our Mission
The North Central Animal Shelter, a proud facility of the City of Los Angeles, works every day to promote and protect the health, safety, and welfare of both animals and the people who love them. We are dedicated to creating a more humane Los Angeles by providing compassionate care to the pets who need us most.
Our Story and Community
Since the establishment of the Department of Animal Services in 1863, we have served as a cornerstone for animal welfare in our region. Today, we are one of the largest municipal shelter systems in the United States, committed to providing second chances and high-quality care to approximately 60,000 animals each year.
How We Care
Our shelter in Lincoln Heights is a modern facility staffed by a dedicated team of animal care technicians, veterinarians, and registered veterinary technicians who oversee the enrichment and medical needs of our residents. We believe in transparency and community support, which is why we offer resources like the Pet Food Pantry to keep pets and families together. Our goal is to ensure every animal feels safe and valued while they wait to find their forever home.
Your Partner in Adoption
Adoption is a joyful journey, and we are here to help you find the perfect match for your lifestyle. When you adopt from us, your new companion comes home already vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed or neutered. We believe that thoughtful, supportive matching helps create lasting bonds that enrich both your life and the life of your new furry friend.
Join Us Today
Your new best friend is waiting to meet you! We invite you to view our available pets online or visit us at our North Central location to see the wonderful animals currently in our care. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of #LACityPets.
- Dedicated and compassionate staff
- Efficient adoption process
- Operational friction and poor communication
6/15 - Advocates Support Animal Welfare Measure Backed By Hochman - MyNewsLA.com
San Francisco Assemblyman Matt Haney and other animal welfare advocates gathered at a Lincoln Heights animal shelter Monday to promote a bill to streamline the adoption process for animals rescued from abuse and neglect cases. Assembly Bill 2344, known as the Justice for Seized Animals Act, would allow animals seized in cruelty and neglect investigations […]
5/18 - Los Angeles Pit Bull West Rescued After Viral Freeway Video
Viral video shows a dog chained to a pickup; West is now in shelter care and advocates are seeking fosters.
10/30 - Meet Muñeca #A1909813, a gorgeous girl having a wonderful time in foster! 🐶 #FosterFriday According to her foster family, this sweet girl loves pets, cuddles, long walks, and playing fetch with just about any ball! She has a calm demeanor, walks nicely on a leash, and is friendly with people and other dogs. She’s also working on her weight with regular walks and proper meals while staying active and playful. Her funniest quirk? She lifts her paw when she pees! 😂 If interested in adopting Muñeca, email ani.foster@lacity.org #LACityPets #Adopt #Foster #LosAngeles
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10/29 - It's time to shine this week's S-P🐾wt-Light on these amazing dogs at our North Central Center, who are ready to meet you and be a part of your family: Riley #A2284082 (3-year-old spayed female who loves to play, takes treats gently, and enjoys playing with other dogs at the shelter) Spike Lee #A2287548 (1-year-old neutered male who walks nicely on a leash, loves playing with toys, and has done well in playgroups with other dogs) Wally #A2278952 (1.5-year-old neutered male who is a little shy when you first meet him, but once he warms up, he enjoys playing and hanging out with staff and volunteers) Bobby #A2294281 (1-year-old male who is very wiggly, treat-motivated, knows his sit command, and is a playgroup rockstar at the shelter) #AdoptAShelterDogMonth #LACityPets #Adopt #Foster #Spotlight #LosAngeles
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10/27 - Gentle, petite Lily is ready for her forever home! The best companion you could ask for! 💗 At just 40 lbs, she doesn’t ask for much. Lower energy, crate trained, and great with other dogs (no info at this time on cats). Super friendly and darling all around. Let’s get this girl her forever home! Apply through the link in our bio if you’re interested in meeting her or hearing more about her. You’ll love her. 📍 Los Angeles #lily💙 #dclalily
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10/27 - Meet Chico #A2281241, our @abc7community #PetOfTheWeek! #AdoptAShelterDogMonth Chico is a 3-year-old neutered male weighing 60 lbs. Chico is a friendly fella who enjoys playing fetch with a ball, knows his sit command, loves to cuddle, is super affectionate, and has participated in the K9 Youth Alliance's Positive Youth Development Series, a program focused on the social-emotional growth of children and shelter dogs. Adopt or foster Chico from our North Central Center today! #LACityPets #Adopt #Foster #LosAngeles 📸: @k9youthalliance
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10/25 - Yesterday was such a special day! 🧡🐾🎃 Thank you to everyone who joined us at @westlasheltervolunteers for our Halloween trick-or-treat event in partnership with @laanimalservices ! From coffee and treats to meeting some amazing shelter dogs, we loved bringing our community together to show these pups some extra love! Missed the event? You can still get involved! ❤️ DM us to learn how you can volunteer, foster, or help spread the word about these incredible dogs. Even sharing their stories can make a life-saving difference for a shelter dog. A special shoutout to our greeter Romeo 🦈 #A2283919 who stole everyone’s hearts! 🥹 He’s still looking for his forever home, so let’s keep sharing his story! Thank you for showing up for shelter dogs 🐶
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10/24 - Update: Adopted Meet Taylor #A2292542 🤍 2 years old • 85 lbs Taylor is full of love, happiness, and the sweetest personality. She’s one of those dogs you connect with immediately, and I honestly felt something special with her from the moment I met her. She’s incredibly friendly, playful, social with other dogs, and knows commands like sit, shake, and down. You can tell she was once loved, which makes it so hard to understand why she’s still waiting for someone to love her again. Taylor would thrive with an active family who can keep up with her playful side, but don’t let that fool you because she absolutely loves cuddles too. Taylor has so much love to give, and I know her person is out there. 🥺 Please don’t let this sweet girl keep waiting. She deserves a family of her own. 🤍 She’s waiting at: 📍East Valley Animal Shelter 14405 Vanowen St. Van Nuys, CA 91405 #adoptdontshop #gsd #rescuedog #dog
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10/23 - Join us for a Kitten Foster Orientation workshop on Sunday, October 25th at our Harbor Center from 10AM-1PM. Please email delicia.hernandez@lacity.org to RSVP with the subject line "HARBOR Kitten Foster Orientation" and let us know you will attend. If you are interested in fostering kittens, complete the foster application and email your completed form to: ani.foster@lacity.org. Visit laanimalservices.com/kittenseason to learn more. #LACityPets #Foster #Kitten #BottleBaby #LosAngeles
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10/22 - While many dogs will spend Halloween curled up at home with their families, these dogs are still waiting at the shelter. 🎃💔 They’re dressed up for the occasion, but no costume can hide the fact that they need homes. They deserve cozy beds, family traditions, neighborhood walks, and a place where they belong. This Halloween, please remember the dogs still waiting. Let’s get these boos out of the shelter and into their forever homes! 👻🧡 They’re waiting at: 📍East Valley Animal Shelter 14405 Vanowen St. Van Nuys, CA 91405 In this video: Taylor A2292542 Bandit A2291880 Aldi A2283969 Stella Rose A2235173 Oakley A2286721 Dash A2291158 Zara A2298943 Sweety A2253294 #adoptdontshop #halloween #halloweencostume #dog #rescuedog
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10/20 - Our Trick-or-Treat event is THIS Saturday, October 24 at West LA Animal Shelter! 🎃🐾 If you’ve ever been curious about visiting the shelter or learning more about volunteering, fostering or adopting, this is the perfect opportunity ❤️ We’ll wander through the shelter handing out Halloween goodies to the pups, meet some of West LA’s wonderful current residents, and show you a little more about what volunteering looks like and how you can get involved. We hope to see you there! 🥰 It’s FREE - just sign up through the link in our bio so we can keep track of attendance. The pups are going to be very happy to see you 🎃🐶❤️ #bigdogenergy #westlosangelesanimalshelter #halloween #trickortreat #adoptdontshop
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