New Op-Ed: Don’t Forget Skid Row’s Abused Animals
Advancing Law for Animals co-founder and co-director Vanessa Shakib published a new op-ed in the California Post calling attention to ongoing allegations of animal abuse, trafficking, torture, and neglect on Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
In “When the election is over, don’t forget Skid Row’s abused animals,” Shakib argues that animal cruelty in the area cannot be dismissed as a secondary concern—and that federal authorities must act where local enforcement has failed.
The op-ed follows Advancing Law for Animals’ May 2026 federal complaint, filed on behalf of Los Angeles-based rescue organization Starts With One Today, urging the U.S.
Department of Justice, FBI, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Department of Homeland Security to investigate potential violations of federal law involving animals on Skid Row.
As Shakib writes, the issue extends beyond animal welfare: cruelty, trafficking, and other forms of exploitation can threaten animals, vulnerable people, and public safety alike.
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