Forty dogs rescued from unsanitary conditions in La Mesa

Photo of some of the 40 dogs rescued from La Mesa courtesy San Diego Humane Society

East County News Service

Dec. 30, 2025 (La Mesa) -- San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement rescued 40 dogs and puppies from an apartment in La Mesa on Tuesday, Dec. 30, following a welfare check by community police officers.

The rescue comes at a critical time, SDHS officials say, as local shelters are already operating significantly over capacity.

San Diego Humane Officers were notified on the evening of Dec. 29, by the La Mesa Police Department, which was conducting a welfare check on a tenant facing eviction. Those close to the situation said that the tenant had not been seen since Dec. 23. Upon arrival, Humane Officers discovered 40 dogs and puppies living in feces and unsanitary conditions.

After ensuring the animals had immediate access to food and water, Humane Officers and medical teams returned on Dec. 30 to triage the dogs and transport them to the SDHS's San Diego campus.

Each dog received a medical exam, vaccinations, dewormer and microchip before being settled in to decompress in their kennels.

SDHS officials say that the mass intake is occuring while the nonprofit rescue is deep into issues related to facing a space crisis. At the start of the day, SDHS had 725 canines in care -- 600 adults and 125 puppies, "operating well beyond our ideal capacity," said SDHS Director of Public Relations Nina Thompson.

The SDHS breakdown: Escondido campus,171% capacity; San Diego campus, 161% capacity; Oceanside campus, 160% capacity and El Cajon campus, 126% capacity.

The rescue is only the first step for these animals, Thompson said. They will soon undergo thorough medical and behavioral evaluations before being cleared for adoption.

The San Diego Humane Society is urgently calling on the community for support to provide the specialized care these dogs require, Thompson said.

Donations can be made at sdhumane.org/yearendrescue