Nitya Raman Faces Criticism Over Animal Welfare in Skid Row

As Nitya Raman campaigns for the mayoral post in Los Angeles, a rising number of animal activists are raising concerns regarding her perceived neglect of the animal welfare crisis in Skid Row.

Animal rescuer Joey Tuccio claims his team has rescued over 100 animals from Skid Row in the last three years, although he thinks that estimate might even be on the low side.

“Just last Sunday, we saved three dogs within an hour,” Tuccio shared with the California Post, providing a glimpse into the distressing conditions faced by many animals. He’s encountered dogs with broken limbs, mutilated bodies, and others who have suffered from starvation and abuse. Some dogs have even had to be treated for overdoses, reliant on a drug called Narcan for survival.

Tuccio is with a nonprofit organization called It Starts with One Today, and he is pushing local officials to prioritize animal welfare in Skid Row. He pointed out that activists have recently started scrutinizing Raman due to her mayoral bid and her history as a homeless advocate.

Tuccio contended that during her tenure at City Hall, Raman has not taken significant action on behalf of animal welfare.

In contrast, her main rival, Spencer Pratt, has been vocal about the issue of animal abuse in the area.

“A lot of our focus has shifted to her since her campaign began because she’s been a major critic of Spencer,” Tuccio noted. “Spencer has some notable accomplishments related to helping dogs on Skid Row, so our frustration with her is, well, two-fold.”

Raman’s media representatives did not reply to requests for comments.

Raman’s social media, particularly her Instagram and Twitter, are flooded with comments from frustrated animal advocates demanding her to take a stand against the escalating crisis affecting animals in Skid Row.

“What about the animals? You continue to ignore the growing crisis affecting our shelter system, not to mention the neglect and abuse happening on Skid Row. We who volunteer for animal welfare are tired of covering the costs and cleaning up after this mess…” one comment on her campaign post expressed.

In a video shared in April, Raman visited animal shelters and promised more funding for shelters and nonprofits that focus on spaying and neutering. However, Tuccio believes that’s insufficient as it does not tackle the abuse occurring among the homeless population.

He emphasizes that Raman should first publicly acknowledge the real extent of the issue, correcting what he describes as misinformation regarding Skid Row. He has called for her to fund a specialized team to enforce animal cruelty laws, rescue neglected dogs, provide veterinary care, and, when feasible, rehabilitate them before adoption.

Among those needing help is a dog named Giuliana, whom Tuccio found tied to a garbage can, lacking food and water, with cancerous lumps and covered in flies.

Tuccio mentioned that there’s a breeding operation across the street that has been inbreeding pugs for years, with both the mayor’s office and LAPD Central being aware of it. He stated, “One by one, those dogs were slowly starving to death.”

He urged Raman and Mayor Karen Bass to differentiate between homeless individuals unable to care for their pets and severe drug addicts who pose a threat to the animals.

“Honestly, Raman needs to be more assertive. She could take a page from Spencer’s book,” Tuccio remarked. “Her approach feels too political and rather soft.”