Tag: Riverside County Animal Services

Firefighters Rescue Lost Dog During Southern California Wildfire

This story has been updated with more information about the dog, Buck, and why he ran away.

As they battled the so-called Apple Fire in Southern California, firefighters from Orange County made an unusual discovery. A Queensland Heeler mix was wandering alone along a fire lane, far away from any houses but not far from the wildfire burning nearby.

The crew with OC Firefighters, Local 3631 gave the lost dog water and part of a sandwich. They called Riverside County Animal Services (RCAS) and then carried the dog down a hill to the waiting animal control officer.

“Lt. Luis Rosa of our Coachella Valley Animal Campus — and his colleagues — responded to the call and transported the very sweet, very loving dog to our San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus,” RCAS wrote on its Facebook page yesterday.

If no one claimed the Queensland Heeler, the firefighter seen carrying him in this video promised to give the dog a forever home.

Fortunately, that won’t have to be the case, KNBC reports. When animal control officer Sgt. Lesley Huennekens was checking in on Greg Skeens of Banning to see if he needed any supplies for his pets and livestock, Skeens told her his dog, Buck, had chased after a coyote and disappeared. With the fire burning in the hills surrounding his home, Skeens thought the worst and figured he’d never see Buck again.

Imagine Skeens’s surprise when Huennekens asked him if his missing dog happened to be a Queensland Heeler mix.

Thanks to the efforts of those firefighters, Skeens was reunited with his wayward dog. As you can see in the video, they were both delighted to see each other again. Not only did firefighters save Buck, but they had also saved Skeens’ home from being burned to the ground.

Meanwhile, those OC firefighters along with other crews are still bravely fighting the Apple Fire, which has destroyed four homes and burned over 32,000 acres as of August 8. Luckily no people or pets have died, including one Queensland Heeler whose life was likely saved thanks to the kindness of that OC Firefighters crew.

Photo: Riverside County Animal Services/Facebook

Thanks to Social Media Rumor, Every Pet Adopted from San Bernardino Animal Shelter

After the City of San Bernardino animal shelter in Southern California announced last month that it would be closing, a rumor went viral on social media claiming that all 60 dogs and 40 cats would be euthanized.

But this wasn’t the case according to San Bernardino city officials, who planned to transfer the animals to another shelter in Riverside County. Earlier this week, the San Bernardino County board of supervisors decided to hold off on the relocation and allow time for local rescue groups to come up with plans to take over the shelter.

Apparently unaware of this development, hundreds of people showed up at the shelter during a free adoption event May 9. By mid-afternoon, every available dog and cat had found a new home.

It was love at first sight for one of the adopters, Elliott, whose previous pet died four years ago. A dog named Aubrey who caught his eye at the shelter “is such a loving dog. Rescue dogs are the best,” he told the San Bernardino Sun. “I took her into the play area and she ran up and tackled me and wouldn’t stop kissing me. That’s when I knew that was my girl.”

The San Bernardino shelter has been the target of animal welfare advocates due to poor management and decrepit living conditions. The city is closing the shelter because it can’t afford to make necessary major upgrades, such as installing air conditioning. 

Although free adoption events that give pets away with no vetting of their new owners do strike a lot of fear in my heart, here’s hoping every one of those dogs and cats is now in a loving forever home, thanks to what may have truly been fake news.

Husky Rescued after Car Chase Adopted by LAPD Detective

More than 75 potential adopters wrote essays describing why they would be the perfect parents for Chip, a Husky puppy found in an SUV after a high-speed police pursuit last month.

When the pursuit ended, the puppy’s former owner, John Garcia, shot California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer Felix Serpas, who survived and is recovering. The puppy was named Chip in honor of Serpas, according to a news release.

Garcia was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder. Chip was taken to the Riverside County Animal Services shelter in Jurupa Valley, Calif., where there was an outpouring of adoption offers. The shelter asked all potential adopters to write a short essay explaining why they wanted the energetic Husky.

The winner: Mike Ventura of Covina, Calif., who’s a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

“His heartfelt words resonated with a team of employees here at the main shelter who helped select the adopter,” said Animal Services spokesman John Welsh in a written statement, the Press Enterprise reports.

As for everyone else who wrote an essay, they will be receiving a special offer from the shelter, according to its Facebook page. I’m guessing/hoping it’s an adoption fee discount, to encourage every one of those dozens of potential pet parents to adopt another lovable homeless dog.

Photo via Facebook

Puppy Rescued after Car Chase Ready for Adoption

A 6-month-old Husky puppy found in an SUV after a high-speed police pursuit last month is now available for adoption from the Riverside County Animal Services shelter in Jurupa Valley, Calif.

When the pursuit ended, the puppy’s former owner, John Garcia, shot California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer Felix Serpas, who survived and is recovering. The puppy has been named “Chip” in honor of Serpas, according to a news release.

Garcia was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder.

As you can imagine, the shelter has received many offers to adopt Chip, who is energetic and should be with someone who enjoys an active lifestyle. In other words, couch potatoes — and apartment dwellers — need not apply.

For the special adoption price of only $1 instead of the usual $105 fee, Chip can be yours. However, animal services staff is requesting that his adopter donates at least $104 to the nonprofit California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation, which provides financial assistance to CHP employees and their families in times of crisis.

“We believed that this puppy offered us a unique opportunity to do something for a fallen officer,” said Animal Services Director Robert Miller. “This incident was a horrible act against a peace officer. We hope this small gesture on our part – and the prospective adopters’ part – helps raise awareness about the dangers all officers face.”

Potential adopters are welcome to visit Chip at the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter, and are also welcome to write a short, 500-word-or-less essay about why they want the Husky. Essays will be accepted through Sunday. They can be emailed to shelterinfo@rcdas.org or dropped off at the shelter, located at 6851 Van Buren Blvd. in Jurupa Valley.

Chip’s new pet parent(s) will be announced Monday, Oct. 5.

Photo: Riverside County Animal Services

Arrest Made in Southern California Animal Shelter Break-In

Just one day after Jason Johnson was identified as the suspect who broke into the Riverside County Animal Services shelter in Jurupa Valley, Calif., the loser has been arrested.

Johnson was taken into custody by deputies from the Jurupa Valley sheriff’s station at 1:30 a.m. today, according to a press release, and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside. His bail was set at $5,000, the Press Enterprise reports.

According to Superior Court records obtained by the Press Enterprise, Johnson has a litany of prior drug-related convictions in Riverside County, including unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

The Press Enterprise reported yesterday that Johnson stole three Pit Bulls who were under quarantine and facing possible euthanasia. He then broke the locks on other cages to try to cover up his motives. Investigators believe Johnson knows the owners of the three Pit Bulls.

Shelter staff arrived around 6:30 a.m. Sunday to find seven dogs roaming free. Two dogs — a Chihuahua and a Yorkshire Terrier mix — were dead.

“We found blood spatter everywhere,” John Welsh, spokesman for Riverside County Animal Services, told KTLA.

Dr. Allan Drusys, Riverside County’s chief veterinarian, is performing necropsies on the two dogs to determine the cause of their deaths.

Surveillance footage showed Johnson using bolt cutters to slice through the locks on the cages.

Twelve dogs were initially reported missing. Seven were eventually found — but two of them, a German Shepherd and Pit Bull, had been hit by cars and killed.

A crime prevention analyst from the sheriff’s department is determining how to improve security at this and other animal shelters in Riverside County. Investigators believe Johnson may have climbed over a fence and broken the kennel locks without setting off an alarm.

Two non-profit organizations that work with the shelter — Animal Solutions Konnections (ASK) and Shelter Transport Animal Rescue Team (START) — offered a $35,000 reward to anyone with information that led to a conviction. The Humane Society of the United States announced yesterday it was also offering a $5,000 reward.

“The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department would like to thank the public and media for their assistance with this investigation that ultimately led to the apprehension of Jason Johnson,” the department said today.

Photo: Riverside County Sheriff’s Office

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