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The History of the Los Angeles Animal Services Department

Freedom in the City: Wildlife

LAAS has long dealt with both familiar domesticated animals---dogs, cats, horses, chickens, rabbits etc.—as well as the unfamiliar ones, especially the wide range of wild animals resident in the city, such coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, raccoons, pigeons, seagulls, and even a few newcomers like peacocks and parrots.  Throughout the archive one can trace aspects of how LAAS has tried to manage relations between humans and wild animals, from the extraordinary story of the LA Animal Airlift to the ongoing struggle over coyotes in the city to the dangerous business of managing rabies and other diseases.