LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Twelve puppies were dumped on Tuesday in a tote bag on the side of the road.
They were rescued by the Nevada SPCA.
The same day at Dog Fancier's park on E. Flamingo Rd. and Stephanie St., people witnessed a silver Hyundai drive up, dump a Black German Shepherd out of the car, and drive off.
The dog was picked up by members of a local rescue group, who worked to find a foster family.
In just the last week, pets have been found dumped in a crate on the side of the road, in a carrier behind a bush, in parks, and parking lots.
"We pulled up to our clinic the other morning and we saw a soft-sided carrier that was just sitting there in the parking lot," said Christy Stevens of Hearts Alive Village.
Inside the carrier, a cat, clearly in need of medical care.
"After checking our cameras, this person never even tried to come up to our door or anything. They just drove up in their car, dropped the carrier in the parking lot and drove away," Stevens said.
She calls the current epidemic of pet dumping a community crisis.
"Probably there were eight dogs that I saw online this weekend that were dumped," said Jodi Leishman, who believes no one feels the dumping crisis more deeply than she does.
He's still missing.
"It's absolutely heartbreaking," said Jodi. "It actually makes me furious because we have been searching for Louie non-stop for eight weeks. And I would give my right arm to get him back. And these people are just dumping dogs. I just can't even fathom."
Vulnerable animals are left to fend for themselves in the freezing cold, without food or water, subject to coyote attacks and being hit by cars.
Stevens says it's no less tragic when a pet owner tries to do something safer.
"For instance, dropping them off in front of a vet clinic or walking them into a PetSmart and not leaving with them, so that they're at least contained. Or we have folks who have brought them into gated communities thinking that will keep them safer from being hit by a car and abandoning them there. It's tragic!"
Animal advocates believe the reason behind the rise in dogs and cats being dumped lies partly in the expense of veterinary care and issues with affordable housing.
"Folks are desperate," said Stevens. "It's been a really tough time across the country but especially for Las Vegas so, when things get difficult for people, it gets worse for pets."
Couple that with what's happening at The Animal Foundation.
Nearly three months ago, the city's only municipal shelter temporarily stopped taking in dogs due to a disease outbreak.
"And it's been really difficult for them to get up to speed," said Stevens.
Jodi's been at The Animal Foundation many times looking for Louie.
"And while I've been there, people have brought in dogs that they have secured and they've made safe, they go to drop off the dogs and then they're told no, you can't drop the dog off, you have to have an appointment."
13 Investigates found you can't get an appointment at The Animal Foundation anytime soon.
On the Lost and Found pets page, you're first asked to hold onto the animal and look for the owner.
If you do need to bring it to the shelter and you click to schedule an appointment, the first available time is five weeks away.
"It's insane!" Jodi exclaimed. "So what is somebody supposed to do if they secure a dog, they have a dog that's safe, then what do they do with the dog in the meantime?"
No one from The Animal Foundation would go on camera.
They sent the following statement:
"The Animal Foundation is testing a managed intake policy that helps find the best possible outcomes for pets outside of the stressful shelter environment. Lost pets usually reunite with their owners within a few hours if they stay in their neighborhoods. Unfortunately, 80 percent of lost pets who come to The Animal Foundation never find their way home. The Animal Foundation continues to accept an average of 44 pets daily since the implementation of this program."
Hearts Alive Village set up a system to help.
"Although we don't have space, we do have crates, we do have food, we do have resources," said Stevens, adding that our valley needs more access points for animals and more help from local municipalities.
"For three whole jurisdictions, The Animal Foundation is the one and only provider. It's too much for one organization to bear, and when you think about a monopoly, we know it's not a healthy situation for a society. It's just not."
The rescue community continues to bear the burden without government funding.
But there are stories that make it all worthwhile.
On Tuesday, Hearts Alive Village received a report of a chihuahua that had been running around Jones Blvd. and US-95 for seven days out in the cold, alone.
Christy Stevens' sons were able to catch her using a large fishing net.
They learned she's been missing since June, let out accidentally by landscapers.
Based on her condition, it's likely she'd been taken care of by someone since then, but recently got out again or was dumped.
"And thank goodness for a microchip that she's going to be reunited with her family," said Stevens.
Hearts Alive returned her to the elderly couple who thought they'd never see their beloved pet again... a Christmas gift they call a miracle, and one they'll never forget.
13 Investigates reached out for comment to the City of Las Vegas and Clark County. Each sent a statement.
City of Las Vegas statement:
"Las Vegas Animal Protection Services is monitoring to see if there is an increase in the amount of calls for animals running free in the city. At this point we do not have enough data to show that there has been an increase. We do encourage the public to call our Animal Protection Services team at 702.229.6444 option #2 to report any animal-related concerns. This includes animals running loose, as our team will pick the animals up and get them to the Animal Foundation or to another shelter option."
Clark County statement:
“As The Animal Foundation continues to navigate through operational challenges due to staffing shortages, Clark County’s Animal Control Officers remain dedicated to assisting not only the most critical cases involving injured or aggressive animals, but also non-emergency encounters with strays as well. In addition to our efforts to provide aid to those most in need, we continue to encourage residents who encounter a lost animal to take a community-led approach such as posting on Lost and Found social media pages and taking the animal to be scanned for a microchip at local veterinary offices. We know there is concern in the community, and we are working to help address these challenges while making sure that our services remain accessible to safeguard animal health welfare.”
Hearts Alive Village has a pet resource helpline that's answered seven days a week.
You can call or text 702-496-0705, or email helpline@heartsalivevillage.org.
Click here for hours and resources the helpline provides.
Clickhere for information on what to do if you've lost a dog or cat.
Click here to learn what you can do if you've found a pet.
