Only two of 38 dogs abandoned in Highland will be available for immediate adoption

Only two of the 38 German shepherd-mix dogs that were found abandoned in Highland earlier this week will go up for adoption, with the rest available for rescue groups, officials said.

San Bernardino County animal control officers received a call about abandoned animals at a Highland home and left a notice Sunday for the owner to contact them, officials said. When the owner did not respond, the dogs were removed the next day and taken to the Devore Animal Shelter.

See more of our top stories on Facebook >>

The owner agreed Thursday to voluntarily release the dogs -- a mix of 38 males and females -- to Animal Care and Control for placement. Because of “observed behavior” in the dogs, only two will be available for general adoption, officials said in a statement.

The rest could find homes with rescue groups, who are not private pet owners, but can work with dogs more extensively to rehabilitate them so they can later be adopted by the public.

When the dogs arrived at the shelter, Greg Beck, program manager for San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control, said that they were dirty but that, “at this point in time, we haven’t seen any signs of cruelty and neglect.”

There are no details on whether the owner will be charged, said C.L. Lopez, a San Bernardino County spokeswoman.

Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >>

“Thank you to all who have expressed interest in adopting these dogs,” the statement from the agency said. “Although only two dogs from this incident are available for general adoption, there are still many other dogs and cats in animal shelters who are in need of loving forever homes.”

The animal shelter opens at 10 a.m. and is located at 19777 Shelter Way.

Twitter: @brittny_mejia

ALSO

Mustang used in wild police pursuit was a rental, officials say

9-year-old girl found living in shed amid guns and drugs, authorities say

How officials failed to save Gabriel Fernandez from years of abuse, torture