Hundreds of dogs and cats rescued in L.A. County enforcement operation

Neighbors had complained for years about the property in rural Lake Hughes, where gusts of wind carried the stench and constant barking of hundreds of dogs.

“It sounds like a big dogfight,” said neighbor David Canfield, 67. “Very violent.”

On Friday morning, authorities swarmed the property — ultimately finding hundreds of dogs and cats in what officials called one of the largest animal rescues in county history.

About 250 dogs and 66 cats were recovered as part of a search warrant served by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. But county officials said they were still documenting animals well into the afternoon Friday.

Investigators with the L.A. County district attorney’s office and workers from Animal Care and Control had initially expected to find as many as 700 dogs and cats at the property in the 46000 block of 266th Street.

“We are grateful the number was not as high as initially feared, but this remains an immense undertaking for our Animal Care Centers,” Animal Care and Control said in a statement, adding that the discrepancy in the initial assessment was due to a complex investigation and an initial field estimate.

By late Friday afternoon, animal services vehicles were still driving back and forth from the property, which was closed off to the public. The sound of barking persisted.

The warrant and massive rescue was sparked by an investigation into allegations of animal cruelty at the facility, including incidents of neglect and overcrowding, according to a spokesperson with the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Animal Care and Control was the lead agency in the investigation, with assistance from the district attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the spokesperson said.

No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed, the spokesperson said.

The animals had been in custody by Christine De Anda of Rock N Pawz animal rescue, according to the statement from Animal Care and Control.

De Anda could not be reached for comment. Messages seeking comment from Rock N Pawz were not immediately returned.

According to its website, Rock N Pawz is a nonprofit animal rescue organization. Its site featured multiple images of animals available for adoption, and others who had been recently adopted.

Marcia Mayeda, director of the Department of Animal Care and Control, said officials had been aware of concerns about animals on the property for years, but had been unable to get access to inspect.

“The neighbors told us it steadily got worse,” Mayeda said.

Two confidential witnesses provided audio and video of the property, which was used to ask a judge for a search warrant, Mayeda said in an interview outside the property.

Inside, Mayeda said, the property was “filthy” and required rescuers to wear hazmat protection gear and respirators.

Some of the animals were dead when they arrived, although she couldn’t say how many.

The department prepared for the operation for about a week, planning out not just the search, but what would be an influx of hundreds of animals, she said. Officials waived fees for adoptions and moved animals to other rescues.

More than 70 Animal Care and Control workers were called in to assist in the operation, and the agency also reached out to nearby agencies for help.

Mayeda described the property as an example of a nonprofit rescue gone wrong.

“They turn into hoarding situations,” Mayeda said. “They start with really good intentions, and they’re not able to say no” to additional animals.

Rock N Pawz also featured merchandise for customers, like socks with the faces of dogs knitted on them, and requests for volunteers. According to its website, the organization was founded in 2000.

The animals found at the property were being inspected on site by veterinary medical staff, and animals needing medical help were to be sent to nearby veterinary hospitals, the agency said in a statement.

The rescued animals will be medically screened at the Lancaster shelter and then dispersed among animal care centers across the county, Mayeda said.

“Due to a large-scale animal rescue operation involving all seven of our Animal Care Centers, some services may experience longer wait times today,” the agency said on social media. “Many of our staff and volunteers are actively assisting with this critical effort.”

The agency had reached out to other organizations for help, including spcaLA, Pasadena Humane and Kern County Animals Services.

The number of rescued dogs and cats was so large that Animal Care and Control officials announced they would also remain open to the public on Sunday, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., to find homes for some of the animals.

“We are urgently requesting the public’s help to support the rescue and rehabilitation of these dogs and cats,” Mayeda said in a statement.

L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Lake Hughes, called it a “heartbreaking situation.”

“Today’s operation shows what’s possible when agencies work together with urgency and resolve to protect vulnerable animals,” Barger said in a statement.

Barger also said county officials would work to obtain a court order to make sure that the animals could be available for adoption “as swiftly as possible.”

Although Friday’s operation was expected to be among the largest seizure of animals in county history, the agency has seen previous incidents on a similar scale.

In 2006, Animal Care and Control rescued more than 350 Chihuahuas from a home. In 2017, the agency also rescued more than 100 venomous snakes and reptiles from a animal hoarding incident. In 2017, the agency discovered more than 7,000 birds during a cockfighting investigation. According to the agency, it has also rescued up to 1,000 animals, such as horses and livestock, during past wildfires.