19 Chihuahuas Rescued From Riverbank Home Now Up for Adoption

RIVERBANK (CBS13) — Officers rescued 19 Chihuahuas on Tuesday from a two-bedroom duplex in Riverbank.

Police say the living conditions were so bad at the home where they were found on Kentucky Avenue that they needed to be taken to the Oakdale Animal Shelter.

The dogs, consisting of seven male and 12 female Chihuahuas, are now up for adoption.

"They're really friendly. They're not your typical Taco Bell Chihuahua. They all have fuzzy hair and they're adorable," said Oakdale Police Spokesperson Janeen Yates.

Stanislaus County deputies said the dogs range in age from 6 months to about 10 years old and one is pregnant.

"Some of them had too long of nails, some had long fur and some had mange issues," said Riverbank Police Services Officer Matthew Orr.

Oakdale Animal Control officers described the duplex where they found dogs as "disturbing."

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"This is probably one of the worst houses I've been to. There were feces caked throughout the house. It smelled of urine -- just things your everyday person is not going to want to live in," Orr said.

Deputies said the dogs' owner suffered from mental health issues. A family member called authorities for help when they were unable to care for the animals.

"To have 19 dogs is a lot," said Orr. "They were in the living room, the kitchen, and the bedrooms."

According to Riverbank and Oakdale city ordinances, pet owners can only have up to three dogs at their homes. In this case, the owner's father called Riverbank Police Services to have them come out and pick up the dogs.

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"They were later owner-surrendered so now we have the dogs in our custody and we're looking to get them adopted out to a good home," said Yates.

On Wednesday, a veterinarian examined the dogs to determine whether they were up-to-date on their vaccinations. The vet then cleared them for adoption.

"We want to make sure they're getting a loving home," said Yates.

Volunteers are now urging people who are interested in adoption to visit the Oakdale Animal Shelter as soon as possible.

"We want to adopt them out to somebody that's going to be a good companion for them and vice versa," said Yates.

Oakdale Animal Shelter is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.