KERN COUNTY, Calif. (KERO) — Local rescue groups and shelters have been busy in Kern County with an abundance of adult dogs and puppies filling kennels. New funding aims to “fix” the problem.
Naomi is a dog who was found abandoned out in the fields near Edison Highway. She was found with two of her puppies, a situation those who rescued her say they see all the time
“We found her and two of her puppies," explained Christal Kroph, a dog rescuer with Pit O’ Potamus Puppy Rescue. "We're sure that she had, probably, another couple of puppies but they didn’t survive.”
Out in the orchards, on the side of the road, or in Naomi's case, left in a field, Kroph has seen her fair share of dog dumping in Kern County.
“It's heartbreaking to see a lot of animals that are starving or they’re dead on the side of the road," said Kroph.
From adult dogs and pregnant dogs to newborn puppies, the problem of dog dumping in Kern County is growing. Local dog rescue groups say post-pandemic puppy regrets and lack of spay and neutering are two main factors.
“I had an estimate on how much it would be to spay one of the dogs that I had brought into the vet and it was it’s not doable for most people," claimed Kroph. "At a regular vet, it was over $600 and that was for one dog.”
A grant from the state of California headed toward Kern County Animal Services aims to help that problem, mainly caused by a lack of veterinary care.
“We've struggled to fill a vacancy in our veterinary position for quite some time now," said Nick Cullen, Director of Kern County Animal Services. "So spaying and neutering those shelter pets for adoption have been a struggle."
The $200,000 grant over a two-year cycle will not be able to hire more staff, but it will still make a difference.
"It can be used to pay veterinarians and spay-neuter organizations to fix pets," said Cullen. "So that’s what we’re using it for."
