Animal rescue says dogs injured during massive L.A. County animal enforcement operation

The animal rescue at the center of Friday’s massive seizure says Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control workers injured several dogs as authorities swarmed a property in rural Lake Hughes. Officials have called the operation one of the largest animal rescues in county history.

In a video posted Saturday on the organization’s Instagram, an unidentified woman can be heard saying, “That dog is friendly. There’s no need to choke him like that.” She also claims to see blood on one of the dogs.

Photos and videos shared on the Rock N Pawz animal rescue Instagram show Animal Care and Control workers in hazmat suits removing animals from the property. The footage also shows them walking through the area carrying nets and catch poles.

Rock N Pawz, owned by Christine De Anda, stated that officials on the scene confiscated a phone, preventing full documentation of the seizure. The organization also alleges that authorities used catch poles to drag the dogs.

In a separate video, the unidentified woman says she attempted to photograph each dog as officials removed them but was pushed back and not permitted to do so. “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 explains while recording workers carrying dogs to the trucks.

The Department of Animal Care and Control did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday. However, the agency previously stated that the animals found at the property were being inspected on-site by veterinary staff and would be sent to nearby veterinary hospitals if they required assistance.

The seizure was initiated following an investigation into suspected animal cruelty at the property, including incidents of neglect and overcrowding, according to a spokesperson from the L.A. County district attorney’s office. Neighbors have complained for years about the stench and constant barking. No criminal charges have been filed to date.

Approximately 250 dogs and 66 cats are now in the care of the L.A. County Department of Animal Care and Control, putting a strain on all seven L.A. County animal care centers. The agency has reached out to other organizations for support, including spcLA, Pasadena Humane, and Kern County Animal Services. They also expect longer wait times at their centers as staff and volunteers work to assist with the rescue.

Due to the scale of the seizure, animal care centers will remain open on Sunday to help free up shelter space for the animals seized during Friday’s raid.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-21/animal-rescue-l-a-county-animal-enforcement-operation-lake-hughes

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