26 Cocker Spaniels Up For Adoption After Owner’s Arrest

THOUSAND PALMS- More than two dozen cocker spaniels, whose owner was arrested on a felony warrant in Los Angeles County, were up for adoption Friday at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms.

Nelli Olsen, 35, was arrested June 29 and taken to Los Angeles County, where she is facing a charge of grand larceny, said John Welsh, a spokesman for Riverside County’s Department of Animal Services.

Olsen had also been under investigation for allegedly keeping numerous dogs at rented homes in the Coachella Valley, he said.

Twenty-six cocker spaniels were found at one home Olsen was renting, Welsh said.

She is accused of writing rent checks that bounced and moving to several different residences in the Coachella Valley, where she would house the dogs, Welsh said.

Animal Services Officer James Huffman began to suspect Olsen was hoarding the dogs when he responded to several reports about houses with lots of dogs inside and contacted the property owners.

When he went to one home to investigate a complaint, the windows were covered so he could not see inside, Welsh said.

The dogs did as much as $7,000 damage to some of the houses, one of which was “soaked with urine,” and had grime stains on walls, according to Welsh.

Animal Services brought the dogs to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms, where they are available for adoption. The campus is located at 72-050 Pet Land Place inThousand Palms. You can contact CVAC at 760-343-3644.