Over 300 Dogs and Cats Seized from ‘Rescue’ in Largest Raid in LA County History

Hundreds of cats and dogs were seized from Rock N Pawz Animal Rescue in Los Angeles County this past Friday, March 20. Authorities describe the case as one the largest animal rescues in the county’s history.

Initial estimates put the number of rescued animals at around 700, but the number has since been revised to roughly 250 dogs and 66 cats. According to an Instagram post from the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC), officials were still counting animals late Friday. 

“We are grateful the number was not as high as first feared — but the impact on our care centers and staff is still very real,” the Instagram caption reads. “Hundreds of animals are now receiving medical evaluations, treatment, and daily care.”

For years, neighbors had complained about the property in Lake Hughes, California, citing strong stenches and constant barking. 

“It sounds like a big dogfight,” said neighbor David Canfield to the Los Angeles Times. “Very violent.”

“It's been pretty horrific to see what's been going on there,” said resident Susan Zahnter to CBS News. “I'm not surprised because we have not only listened to [the animals], we have smelled them. The owner is horrific. There's no septic system on the property for the kennel.” 

According to Zahnter, Christine D’Anda, who owns the property, has been running an unlicensed kennel in an area not zoned for kennels. Marica Mayeda, director of the Los Angeles DACC, told the LA Times it was the classic 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.

Mayeda also told CBS News that the site was very filthy and that the animals were in unsanitary conditions, confined to crates with limited access to water. 

“Our staff have to wear respirators and hazmat suits to go into the property,” she said. 

She mentioned that some of the animals were dead when the team arrived, but did not reveal how many. The DACC prepared for this operation for a week, concerned not just about the search and seize itself, but where the rescued animals would go. 

No arrests or criminal charges have been made yet.

D’Anda, meanwhile, insisted that she had done nothing wrong and vowed to get her animals back.

“My animals were not a threat to anybody,” she said to ABC 7. “They were healthy. They were cared for. The animals were cleaned every day. The animals were rotated out into yards every single day. Every single dog is happy.”

According to a separate LA Times article, Rock N Pawz rescue alleges that the DACC workers injured some of her dogs during the operation. An unidentified individual, possibly D’Anda, posted various videos and photographs to the Rock N Pawz Instagram, until the DACC told her she was no longer permitted too. 

“I wanted to take pictures of each dog as they removed the dog to prove that the dogs were not emaciated or in bad shape as they keep saying they are,” she said in the video. 

D’Anda told KTLA 5 that while she’s sad about the whole situation, she “can’t wait to go to court.” 

“I know that I have proof … that the animals were cared for,” she said.

In addition to shelters in LA county stepping up for the operation, ABC 7 says a separate charity flew about 27 dogs and a few cats to agencies in the Pacific Northwest. Still, the rescued animals are expected to put a strain on the county shelters. 

“The problem is the cost of bringing a pet back to health after it's been living in filthy conditions and has parasites, and an illness, or maybe has been attacked by another animal because they've got them all in close quarters and they're fighting over food, or they might be elderly and have heart conditions” Teri Austin, president of the Amanda Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to saving dogs and cats in L.A. County and providing medical care, told ABC 7. 

To try and alleviate the burden on local shelters, the DACC opened their care centers on Sunday to help more animals find homes. While the animals from Rock N Pawz are not available for adoption, clearing space in shelters means that the care centers have more resources to focus on the rescued animals. The county also says that animals will be euthanized as a result of this operation. 

If you’re interested in helping, visit the LA County Animal Care Foundation to inquire about adoptions or donations.