Dozens of emaciated, dead dogs found by animal services officers at deserted property in Thermal

Dozens of unattended dogs, including many that were emaciated and others that were already dead, were found by Riverside County officials on Thursday at a property in Thermal, in what local animal rescue officials described as one of the worst scenes they’ve seen in years.

Officers with Riverside County Animal Services responded Thursday to a property near farmland in the 88-000 block of Avenue 61 in Thermal, where temperatures have reached over 110 degrees in recent days, after learning the owner had left and that many unattended dogs were there.

Upon their arrival, they found more than 40 dogs, including some in crates, others in rooms and others roaming freely. Among them were 19 dead dogs, “but that number could rise,” according to a press release from the county.

Shortly before noon, county staff transported a first round of roughly 20 dogs to the Coachella Valley Animal Campus in Thousand Palms, where vet staffers examined the dogs and found most of them to be in very poor condition.

Jackie Schart, the deputy director of operations for Riverside County Animal Services, described the situation as “awful, just awful.”

“These dogs are so weak, so emaciated, so starved,” Schart said in a prepared statement. “There were dogs in crates with dead dogs. Just terrible.”

Officials described the property as being overrun with trash and debris, with its interior filled with clutter and a strong odor of urine. A relative of the Thermal property owner relinquished ownership of the dogs, allowing county officials to seek immediate outcomes, including “adoption, transfer to rescue organizations, release to fosters and, if needed, humane euthanasia,” according to the county's press release.

Employees with Riverside County Animal Services reached out to volunteers and rescue partners to assist taking dogs under care at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus.

“The public plea was an attempt to alleviate the overcrowding situation and free up space for the Thermal-case dogs,” the county said in its release. “There are more than 200 dogs at the shelter currently — and only 84 kennel runs.”

The Coachella Valley Animal Campus is in desperate need for adopters, fosters and help from rescue partners, according to the county.

“A situation like this usually rises to the level of animal cruelty for serious neglect,” the county said. “However, it’s unlikely Animal Services will pursue cruelty charges because the dog owner has been hospitalized. It’s understood that the man is in critical condition and may not survive.”

Tom Coulter covers the mid-valley. Reach him at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Dozens of emaciated, dead dogs found by animal services officers at deserted property in Thermal