72 dogs rescued from home in the Cabazon area after owner’s family ask for help with care

Riverside County Animal Services rescued 72 dogs living inside a house in the Cabazon area after their caretaker reached out to the department for help.

The department confirmed this is not an open cruelty investigation because the dogs were fed and cared for, although not in ideal circumstances, said Lt. Lesley Huennekens.

The case started when the daughter of the dogs' caretaker reached out to Animal Services for assistance. The caretaker is a woman in her 80s who is possibly suffering from dementia.

“This was an example of someone who was truly in need of our help,” Huennekens said. “The daughter inherited a very troubling situation. She did the right thing by seeking our guidance and assistance.”

The owner’s daughter brought all the dogs to the county's San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.

Staffers from the Field, Shelter and Veterinary services divisions worked together to receive the 72 dogs. Once there, all dogs received veterinary examinations, food and water.

Three longstanding rescue organizations agreed to be partners in assisting Animal Services in this significant hoarding case, according to Animal Services.

Staffers and rescue representatives arrived at the shelter to begin loading up the mostly small pooches. The dogs were almost all terrier mixes, but some were Chinese crested, a unique breed of hairless dog.

All but one dog went to the rescue partners. Animal Services officer Marcel Martinez adopted one of the Chinese crested dogs.

“The staff did a great job coordinating this unique situation,” Animal Services Director Erin Gettis said. “These can be overwhelming problems for family members to deal with, so we’re here to help. Our only hope is that, if possible, relatives do as much as they can as early as they can to prevent a situation like this from getting out of hand. Spay and neutering could have prevented much of this situation significantly.”