Concerns about Los Banos Animal Shelter expressed at council meeting

At the Los Banos City Council meeting July 20, three people spoke about the condition and practices of the Los Banos Animal Shelter.
Levi Fistori, founder and president of a nonprofit called Feral Freedom Northern California, said his group had been working with the Los Banos Animal Shelter since March 2022.
“At this current time,” Fistori said, “the animal shelter is managed by two animal control officers. These are police officers trained in code enforcement regarding animals. They, however, are not medical professionals trained in veterinary care or evaluation for the medical or behavioral needs of animals.
“As a result,” he continued, “there is a severe lack of medical care and attention at the shelter at this time.”
Fistori went on to describe instances where the shelter did not treat cats suffering from injury or illnesses until the nonprofit organization rescued them.
Council member Debra Lewis, in her report later in the meeting, said she would like to see the $1 million allocated in the annual budget for the animal shelter geared toward prioritizing the needs of the animals in the shelter.