Over three dozen dogs impounded at Cathedral City home at homeowner’s request

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services today assisted a Cathedral City man in impounding 37 dogs at his residence.

According to department spokesman John Welsh, officials received a call from the man about a week ago when he learned he would be evicted if he didn't reduce the number of dogs at his home.

Officers transported the dogs, mostly Chihuahuas, to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus for examinations and vaccinations. 

"This was not an animal cruelty situation," said Jackie Schart, an animal services chief at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms. "This was a situation where someone clearly was overwhelmed with unaltered
dogs that continued to create litter after litter."  

Of the 37 dogs impounded, 31 are headed to Never Forgotten Animal Society based in Pahrump, Nevada. Four of the dogs will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before being returned to the man who reported the incident as his personal pets. The remaining two will remain at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus.

"Instead of being punitive, the approach here was to be helpful," Schart said. "People need to have faith in us to help when they reach out to us. We do really want to help people. They just need to ask.''