Riverside County Animal Services officers impounded 14 dogs on Monday from a ranch property near Desert Hot Springs and officers will return today to retrieve more dogs.
Emergency responders contacted Animal Services late Sunday (July 21) after arriving at a property in the unincorporated area of Sky Valley. Authorities responded when other residents at the property, located on Vee Bee Road between Dillon Road and 19th Avenue, discovered the landlord unresponsive.
Five great Danes were reported near the man’s body and authorities contacted Animal Services.
Animal control officers will be heading back to the property to remove dozens of more dogs. There are approximately 50 total dogs, most of which are small breeds. On Monday, too many of the dogs were running loose and Lt. Luis Rosa said he was concerned the dogs could suffer from heat-related injuries or death if he and his team continued pursuing them.
Residents at the property will be providing food and water for the dogs in the interim. They also will work to contain the dogs to assist Animal Services.
A sister of the deceased man relinquished ownership of all the dogs.
Animal Services is immediately working with rescue partner organizations to arrange transports. One of those transport missions was already in the works. On Friday, a Wings of Rescue transport will take place at the Riverside Municipal Airport. Dozens of dogs will be flown to a rescue organization in Utah.
“Rescue missions such as this are a vital part of our portfolio of positive outcomes” said Animal Services Director Erin Gettis. “Other states and organizations are in need of animals for adoption and it is wonderful when we can work with these community partners to make it happen.”
The cost of the transport is 100-percent funded by donations received from area organizations.
Today’s efforts in Sky Valley marked the third hoarding-like situation Riverside County Animal Services responded to in less than two weeks. Officers removed roughly 50 dogs from a Thermal property on July 11. That figure included a number of deceased dogs. Another 20 dogs were impounded from a home in Indio on July 12.