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Animal Care and Services supervisor Alyssa Bautista and officer Eli Harvey disputed claims that previous reports of animal abuse were not taken seriously and described a “night and day” comparison of the visits to the animal rescue, Pet-A-Palooza, in 2024 and 2021.
Recently, Hollister’s Animal Control officers found 13 dogs, 65 live cats and 31 dead cats at the Pet-A-Palooza location, 731 El Toro Dr, after officers obtained a search warrant following reports about the rescue. The animals were recovered during a two-day search of the home that started on March 7.
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Photo by Noe Magaña.The two rescue owners Richard Lopez, 60, and Susie Alarcon, 59, were arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty, a city report said. They have a court hearing scheduled for April 24.
“I know there have been several claims that were multiple reports that were previously reported to our department that went without any terms of investigation,” Bautista said and clarified that there were only two prior complaints about the rescue.
During the April 2 city council meeting, the officers gave a quick timeline of events including past reports. Two reports of animal cruelty at Pet-A-Palooza were previously made to animal control, Bautista said. Animal control is part of the Hollister Police Department.
One report was made in July 2020. After officers spoke to Alarcon the report was “cleared as unfounded,” Bautista said.
The second report was made in May 2021 by a veterinarian who requested a welfare check on the animals at the rescue. The doctor claimed that a person who was fostering a dog was advised by Alarcon to place rubber bands around the dog’s dew claws, known as the thumbs or big toes of a dog, to remove them, the city report said.
Other stories included two sick cats, one of which died at the rescue.
Animal control officers visited the rescue in June 2021 and spoke to neighbors; many said animals at the rescue appeared healthy, the report said.
Bautista described the 2021 and 2023 visit as “night and day.”
“Looking back at the room and comparing photos, to see it get that bad, it was definitely hard to see,” Bautista said.
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?fit=300%2C225&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?fit=780%2C585&ssl=1″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?resize=780%2C585&ssl=1″ alt=”Photos courtesy of Hollister Police Department.” class=”wp-image-97636″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?w=800&ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?resize=200%2C150&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?resize=706%2C530&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/user20477-1709930329-media1.jpeg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>
The most recent report was made late last year, which ultimately led to the arrests.
On Nov. 11, 2023, Hollister Animal Control received an anonymous report from a former Pet-A-Palooza volunteer of six months, the city report said. The person’s report said that animals were in unsanitary conditions, but gave no further description.
The anonymous person suggested that animal control officers should pay a visit to the rescue location around 7 p.m., since the owners arrived home at that time, the report said.
On the same day, Animal Control officers Alvaro Covarrubias and Harvey arrived at the rescue location at about 7 p.m., but nobody was home, the report said. At the time, the officers did not smell any odors nor saw any concerning activity after an hour at the home.
After visiting the home, the officers went to Richard Lopez’s business on San Felipe Road and decided to visit the home at another time, the report said.
On Dec. 1, 2023, the same officers returned to the home around 5:30 p.m. and received no response, the report said. The officers visited Lopez’s business again, but didn’t find anybody.
The officer called the anonymous person who made the November report three times after the unsuccessful home and business visits, but could not reach them.
Harvey spoke to one of the rescue founders on March 7, the report said. The owner claimed the complaints were not true and said there were no injured animals at the rescue. When Harvey asked for a walkthrough of the rescue, the owner made an “incriminating statement,” that caused officers to attain a search warrant, the report said.
“Upon entering the property, staff were met with a strong odor and observed several cats and dogs inside cages and around the property,” the report said. “All of the animals were in deplorable conditions.”
After the update, Councilmember Rick Perez recommended that agencies that handle animals should be subject to an unannounced inspection.
Councilmember Tim Burns said that this case should be tried in a court of law and not in the court of public opinion.
There were two public speakers: Natalie Day and Elia Salinas.
Day questioned why animal control gave the rescue a four day notice to perform a welfare check.
“Do we call when we get a WeTip for a cocaine house down the street,” Day asked. “Do we call that guy up and say, ‘hey, I got a report saying that you’re selling coke. We’re going to come by in three days and see if that’s true.”
She added, “I don’t understand how that can be our protocol in this.”
Salinas was in support of the city’s animal control services and said she believes what staff says, not what is reported on social media.
“I believe that the staff is doing the best job they can,” Salinas said. “Now, what you’re going to do is you learn from what happened.”
There was no action made by the council.
Other council business
The council members unanimously decided to not host a motorcycle rally this year.
The council agreed to create an Ad Hoc Committee to start planning for future rallies and to send interested council members and city staff to similar events to gain knowledge.
The council also approved submitting two ballot measures in the Nov. 5 General Election.
The first measure will ask residents to increase the mayoral term to four years from two years, while the second asks voters to increase the Transient Occupancy Tax to 12%, a four percent increase.
The transient tax, also known as the hotel tax, applies to hotel or other lodging costs for stays less than 30 days in Hollister, a city report said. This tax does not normally apply to residents of the city, the report said.
Both measures are projected to cost $16,000 to $26,000, the report said.
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