LA County Seizes 700 Animals From One Property in Largest Case in U.S. History
Friday morning in Lake Hughes, California, started early for LA County animal control. Officers executed a search warrant at an animal rescue facility just after 7 a.m. and walked into something nobody was fully prepared for.
700 cats and dogs on one property.
400 dogs. 300 cats. All of them were crammed onto a single piece of land in the Antelope Valley, pulled out under allegations of animal cruelty through neglect and overcrowding. News cameras caught workers in hazmat suits moving through the property, with rows of empty outdoor kennels already cleared by the time footage started rolling.
The LA County Department of Animal Care and Control put it plainly in their statement—this is the largest number of dogs and cats they have ever seized, and it may be the largest case of its kind anywhere in the United States.
No arrests or charges yet, as the investigation is ongoing.
These Animals Need Homes
Every one of those 700 animals is getting veterinary care right now. Some are already on track for adoption. The DACC is partnering with rescue groups and animal welfare organizations across the region to place them, and they opened their care centers to the public this past Sunday—something they don't normally do on weekends—specifically to get more animals placed faster.
If you're in the LA area and have been considering adopting a pet, this is the moment.
For Context on How Big This Actually Is
The DACC has seen big rescues before. 350 Chihuahuas from a hoarder in 2006. Over 100 venomous snakes in 2017. That same year they helped pull more than 7,000 birds in the largest illegal cockfighting raid in US history.
This dwarfs all of it.
The facility was apparently operating as an animal rescue—which makes the whole thing harder to untangle. Intentions aside, there were 700 animals on one property. With a search warrant for neglect and overcrowding, the situation speaks for itself.
Hopefully each of these animals can now get the proper care they need and find a loving home after being neglected for however long they were there.
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