Post by @acowolcott

Another day, another abandonment.. We were dispatched for one dog that had been left behind on a property after giving birth to 7 puppies. But while I was there, I found something else. Hidden in a makeshift kennel was another dog, left behind with only a small amount of shade and dirty water sitting in a metal pot under the blazing sun. (107 degrees today in Fresno btw) This is where people often ask, “Why didn’t you just take him?” Because in California, animals are legally considered property. As heartbreaking as it is, having dirty water is not the same as having no water under the law. Since he technically had access to water, I did not have the legal authority to seize him. If he had no water at all, that would have created the exigent circumstances allowing us to remove him immediately. So instead, I did what we often have to do, I started searching for another way. After tracking down the property owner and making contact, they gave me permission to remove every dog that had been left behind. Sometimes that’s the only path we have. It’s hit or miss whether we can even find the owner, but this time we got lucky. Today, one call for a mom and her 7 puppies turned into 9 lives that no longer have to wonder if they’ll be forgotten. This is the gray area of animal control people don’t always see. Sometimes the biggest rescue isn’t forcing a door open, it’s finding the one legal avenue that lets us help. All of these dogs will need rescue placement. If you are a 501(c)(3) rescue seriously interested in helping, please email: RESCUE@FRESNOHUMANE.ORG 🧡 #fyp #animalcontrol #animalrescue #dayinmylife #animallover