Introduction: Our Community Humane Officer Partnership with LAAS

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October 16, 2026

Introduction of Social Compassion's Proposal for LAAS Community Humane Officer Partnership

Click above to watch our latest episode of Because They Need Us

Help Us Bring Humane Officers to Skid Row — We Can't Do It Without You!

We are excited to share one of the most important new initiatives we have undertaken at Social Compassion, our proposed Community Humane Officer Program, a partnership with the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) to bring dedicated, trained humane officers into the Skid Row community to protect animals, prevent cruelty, and help people care for their beloved companions.

For years, we have believed that we need to do more than simply respond to animal cruelty after it happens. We need to prevent it whenever possible, and that means getting into communities where animals are most vulnerable and providing both enforcement and compassion.

Our proposed program would establish a team of four dedicated, court-confirmed Level 2 humane officers who would serve a dual purpose. They would have the authority to investigate animal cruelty and neglect and enforce California's animal protection laws, while also serving as community-based advocates and providing support for people struggling to care for their animals.

But also, we must recognize that not every situation rises to the level of criminal animal abuse. Sometimes people simply need help. They may not be able to afford veterinary care, purchase pet food, access spay and neuter services, or find transportation to get their animals the care they need. Our officers would work directly with these individuals, connecting them with resources, education, and support before a difficult situation becomes a tragedy.

But when an animal is being abused, neglected, or subjected to cruelty, our officers would be there to intervene, investigate, and take appropriate action under the law.

This is what makes our program different. We are bringing compassion and enforcement together, because animals and their human companion need both.

We were thrilled to introduce this proposal at our recent Justice for Animals event, where we were joined by LAAS General Manager Gabrielle Amster. We have received encouraging support from the City of Los Angeles and LAAS, and we truly believe we have an opportunity to create a model that could eventually be replicated in other communities throughout California.

Click below to read much more detail on the proposal:

But here is where we need your help.

Having the support of city leadership is a tremendous first step, but we cannot put these officers into the field without funding. We need to raise the money necessary to hire, train, equip, and support a dedicated team that can be out in the community every day, making a real difference for animals who desperately need someone looking out for them.

We don't want this to remain just another good idea or proposal sitting on someone's desk. We want to see our humane officers on the streets of Skid Row, protecting animals, preventing suffering, and saving lives.

In our latest episode of Because They Need Us, linked above, we discuss this program, why we believe it is so urgently needed, how it would work, and what it will take to make it happen. We encourage you to listen and learn more about our vision.

This initiative comes at the end of another incredibly successful year for Social Compassion in Legislation. In 2026, we celebrated two more bills signed into law, bringing our total to 32 animal protection laws that we have sponsored and helped enact in California. We are enormously proud of what we have accomplished together, and we are already preparing for another ambitious legislative session in 2027.

But we also know that passing laws is only part of the equation. We must make sure animals actually receive the protections those laws were intended to provide. Our Community Humane Officer Program is a natural extension of everything we have fought for over the years, taking our commitment to animal protection directly into the communities where help is needed most.

This has been an especially challenging year for nonprofit organizations, and fundraising has become increasingly difficult. Yet the needs of animals have not diminished. If anything, the challenges facing them continue to grow.

That is why we are asking you to help us launch this program. Whether you can give $25, $100, $500, $1,000, or more, your donation will help bring us closer to putting these officers into the field. Every contribution matters, and every dollar brings us one step closer to helping animals who might otherwise have no one to protect them.

We have the vision, the experience, and the support to move this forward. Now we need the financial resources to make it happen.

We have dedicated much of our lives to fighting for animals who cannot speak for themselves, and we know what we can accomplish when compassionate people come together with a shared purpose.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Social Compassion, our 501(c)(3), to help turn this vision into reality.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in our work, standing with us, and helping us continue the fight for animals who need us.

PLEASE DONATE TODAY — HELP US PUT HUMANE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS OF SKID ROW!

With tons of gratitude,

Judie Mancuso, founder/CEO/president

Social Compassion, 501(c)(3)

Social Compassion in Legislation, 501(c)(4)