Los Angeles Animal Services Confiscates Six Shelters' Weapons

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Personnel at six of the city's animal shelters were reportedly required to turn over weapons and ammunition to Los Angeles Polices Department officers Thursday under orders from the head of the city's Department of Animal Services.

Brenda Barnette, general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services, instructed personnel at the shelters to "give the LAPD all handguns, rifles, shotguns and ammunition that are at your shelter."

Employees at the West Valley Shelter in Chatsworth told the newspaper that LAPD officers arrived about 8 a.m., presented the letter from Barnette, and confiscated two shotguns, a rifle, more than a dozen .38-caliber handguns, and ammunition from a shelter storage locker.

The weapons are used to put down injured wildlife in a humane way, employees told the newspaper.

Officers from the LAPD's Gang and Operations Support Division-Guns Section reportedly went to all six shelters operated by Animal Services.