Dozens of dogs that were living with an elderly woman in a Cabazon-area home were rescued this week, officials said Wednesday.
A total of 72 dogs were living with a woman in her 80s who is possibly suffering from early stages of dementia, her daughter told Riverside County Animal Services.
The pups were taken from the home by the daughter and eventually received veterinary exams, food and water at San Jacinto Valley Animal Shelter.
The mostly small dogs were well fed and cared for, but in “far-from-ideal circumstances,” Lt. Lesley Huennekens said in a news release, adding that the case is not an open cruelty investigation.
“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 dogs were mostly terrier mixes, but some were Chinese crested, a unique breed of hairless dog, officials explained.
All but one of the dogs went to rescue partners, and 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 in the release. “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.”