As San Diego County Animal Service workers were rescuing animals stuck amid the flames of the Border 32 Fire burning between Dulzura and Potrero, they came across a property engulfed in flames with close to 50 dogs tied up and caged, unable to flee from the inferno surrounding them.
The discovery prompted the county to launch an animal cruelty investigation, according to a county spokesperson.
Rescue staff told NBC 7 they could hear dogs barking and howling in darkness as they worked to pull them out. Altogether, they rescued a couple of large livestock, chickens, peacocks, ducks and several dogs, Animal Services Lt. Talia Padilla said.
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However, no dead animals were found on the property.
“It was actually pretty surprising based on the amount of burn on that property,” Lt. Padilla said.
Crews had to bring the majority of them out one by one because the driveway was blocked by fire.
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A woman at the property Thursday who indicated she owned the animals said she couldn’t collect her pets.
“They would never let me up. I got the alert but no one would let me in,” she said.
When asked if she was going to collect the animals that were rescued, she told NBC 7 “I don’t know what animals they have and I don’t know where they are.”
For now, those animals remain in Animal Services control. Several dogs and a llama remain on the property.
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“I call that someone who needs some intervention and some education on the adequate care for animals,” Padilla said.
When animals are rescued in fire emergencies, Animal Services often offers low cost vet care and the opportunity for owners to surrender their pets if they’re overwhelmed, according to Padilla.
In total, Animal Services crews rescued more than 120 pets and livestock from the flames – 59 dogs, 23 birds, 15 goats, five pigs, six emu, six horses, four tortoise and a cow.
Lt. Talia Padilla says animal owners should keep a seven-day supply of pet needs for each animal and set up a buddy system.
“If you have a neighbor, maybe your neighbor can go into the property and get your animals. Know where their go kits are. That makes this process a lot easier,” she said.
Like many fires, the Border 32 Fire also revealed some animal care issues.
“We’ve seen some skinny animals. Some animals that might not be receiving adequate veterinary care,” she said.
