I joined the Pirate Wires team a couple weeks ago to cover LA local politics. Five days into my new job, I received a tip alleging that Skid Row puppies were dying by the litter — used to test fentanyl, left to ingest drugs lying around, or physically abused outright. Naturally, I hit up my colleague Hunter to investigate. I picked him up from the airport around 8:30am with 10% battery left in my Tesla, and then off we went to the armpit of America.

— Nicole

To brave Skid Row, we decided to volunteer with an organization called Starts With One Today. On Sundays, they offer donated clothes, food, and other resources to the homeless population there. They also run an animal rescue service, aiming to support Skid Row’s dogs.

Dogs on Skid Row have lately become a political lightning rod. Earlier this summer, former mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt alleged that rampant animal abuse was occurring in the area. At the time, an LAPD Lieutenant said the claim “[lacked] credible evidence,” and a former councilman accused Spencer of propagating a “dramatic fabrication.”

We wanted to find out for ourselves.

Spoiler alert: we found credible evidence galore, and an utter lack of dramatic fabrication.

Get 14 day free trial

DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINES

Initially, we spent three hours passing out free clothes and blankets to children on the corner of 5th and Townes. While there, scene after scene revealed just how unhinged and anarchic this forgotten corner of Los Angeles really is. A few highlights:

• A shirtless man dancing down Skid Row to rap music while dodging oncoming cars. He approached us, asked for water, and, upon being informed the water station was down the block, whipped out a tiny knife with a hot pink blade. “THIS MY KNIFE,” he exclaimed. “Cool knife,” we replied.

• A pregnant mother trying to seal a $1,500 stroller from the nonprofit workers. A tug-of-war ensued, with homeless people jumping in to rip it away from the volunteers as the woman screamed that she needed it for her kids (whom she’d left in a hot car on a 100-degree day, per the charity head). Come to find out, she’d received another stroller just a week earlier; this one was reserved for a different mother with a 15-day-old preemie. We took turns holding the baby as the new mom dug through the toddler bin, waiting for the stroller. (Eventually, a smoking hot policewoman by the name of Officer Velazquez defused the situation.)

• A white dude with weathered skin and wearing a black trench coat repeatedly trying to steal from the bags and carts of other homeless people. Upon getting caught, he’d shrug sheepishly before moving onto his next victim. The man sported a Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 Blue (a $10,000 watch), which dangled loosely from his wrist. 100% chance he bought it from a store.

• An old woman with pink hair (flanked by her much younger husband) saying, through a toothless smile, that she wanted to babysit our kids. Keep in mind, we are both in our early twenties, had given no indication of being parents (which we aren’t), and had given no indication of being in a relationship (which we aren’t). She then thanked us and the organization for everything they do, especially for that one time they picked up her dead chihuahua. You see, once, just to see what happened, her daughter threw a pizza between the chihuahua and the pink hair lady’s pitbull, which then proceeded to brutally maul the chihuahua.

• A skid row resident named Shanekka — who recently (and now famously) alleged that she was paid to vote for Karen Bass in the LA Mayoral primary — asking for our help in finding donated clothes that would make her look “hot and sexy.”

• A pristine Waymo humming past, like a relic from a lost first-world civilization.