The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control rescued 400 dogs and 300 cats from a property in Lake Hughes Friday morning, according to a news release from the department.
“This is the largest number of dogs and cats that DACC has ever seized and may be the largest case ever in the United States,” the release said.
DACC served the search warrant at 7 a.m., with more than 70 animal care and control staff on the scene to treat the hundreds of dogs and cats at the Lake Hughes property.
Christine De Anda, of Rock ‘N Pawz Animal Rescue, had custody of the animals, according to the release. Rock ‘N Pawz didn’t immediately respond to a message sent via its website Friday.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger released a statement Friday on the rescue, thanking the DACC personnel and the department’s partner agencies who carried out the rescue under “extreme heat and challenging conditions.”
She added that animals saved during the operation may not be immediately adoptable.
“It’s also important for the public to understand that the court plays a critical role in this process,” Barger, whose district includes the Santa Clarita Valley, said in the release. “A court order is required before these animals can be made available for adoption, and we will continue working closely with the judicial system to move that process forward as swiftly as possible.”
As of the publication of the release, around 8 a.m., animals were being triaged, with others being taken to veterinary hospitals. Animals that didn’t require emergency care were being taken to DACC animal care centers, the release said.
Organizations including the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals L.A., Pasadena Humane, and Kern County Animal Services assisted with treatment and rescue efforts, the release said. Representatives from the Los Angeles County Departments of Public Works, Public Health and Regional Planning were also present to handle other violations at the property.
DACC is working with adoption partner rescue groups to transfer adoptable dogs and cats to make room for the newly rescued animals at the department’s shelters.
To help make room for the incoming animals, DACC care centers will be open to the public Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
