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There was a sendoff to a foster home for this lucky dog and several others rescued at the end of last year from an apartment in La Mesa. Photo courtesy San Diego Humane SocietyEast County News Service
Jan. 15, 2026 (La Mesa) -- Seven of the 40 dogs and puppies rescued from an apartment in La Mesa at the end of last year by the San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement were placed into foster homes on Jan. 15.
Those in foster care are allowed a critical step in recovery, giving them a calm, quiet space to decompress and begin building trust outside of a shelter environment.
The rescue began after the La Mesa Police Department conducted a welfare check on Dec. 29 on a tenant facing eviction. When our Humane Officers arrived, they found 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 the next day to triage the dogs and transport them to the Humane Society's San Diego sampus. Each dog received a medical exam, vaccinations, dewormer and microchip before being settled in to decompress in their kennels.
The timing of this mass intake intensified an already urgent space crisis. San Diego Humane Society entered 2026 with 27% more dogs in care compared to last year. As of today, it has 751 dogs being cared for, and SDHS shelters are operating well beyond ideal capacity.
In the two weeks since the rescue, the dogs have been surrounded by compassion and expert care.
SDHS staff have affectionately given them names after poets and authors, such as Twain, Tolstoy, Bronte, Kafka, Atwood, Sappho, Woolf and Camus.
SDHS reports that its highlights include medical recovery, family reunification and more.:
Two dogs, Clarke and Thoreau, are being treated for severe eye ulcers and are finally on the road to recovery. Three newborn puppies who initially required around-the-clock foster care have been reunited with their mother, Christie, after SDHS teams were able to identify her during exams. Mom and babies are safe in a foster home since Jan. 2, 2026, where she can nurse them and recover in peace.
SDHS Director of Public Relations Nina Thompson said SDHS has begun spaying and neutering the dogs, "a key step toward healthier lives and future placement in new homes."
Many of the dogs are shy and fearful, and will require time and specialized support from the SDHS Behavior & Training experts, before they can be cleared for adoption, Thompson said.
"While today’s foster placements are a meaningful milestone, SDHS urgently needs community support to provide the specialized care these dogs require," she said.
Donations can be made at sdhumane.org/yearendrescue
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