Rescue groups urge Parlier to fix animal shelter conditions; city says it has made recent changes

Residents and animal‑welfare volunteers urged the Parlier City Council on March 6 to address poor conditions at the municipal animal shelter, reporting malnourished dogs, overcrowded puppies and limited public exposure for animals available for adoption.

Lorena Bettencourt, who said she works with Second Chance Animal Rescue and has rescued animals from Parlier, described finding a severely malnourished dog she named “Benny,” and said she and her organization also removed nine puppies they found stacked in a small carrier without visible food or water. “I was horrified by what I saw at the shelter,” Bettencourt told the council. She asked whether the city was partnering consistently with rescues, whether heaters and a fenced play area were installed, and whether animals received daily feeding, cleaning and human interaction.

Bettencourt said she has posted about the dogs on social media and that Second Chance Animal Rescue worked to transport some animals to Fresno to increase their chance of adoption. She urged more transparency, regular posting of availability, and volunteer programs to socialize animals and increase adoption exposure.

A city staff speaker acknowledged community concerns and described actions the city said it has taken since Bettencourt’s initial report. According to staff, public works has installed an outdoor recreational walk area to provide socialization for dogs sheltering at the facility. The city said it purchased a climate-controlled transport/holding unit (described at the meeting as a “c‑train”) for puppies and injured animals, and that staff installed both heating and air conditioning in that unit the prior week. The city also said it had promoted the animal control officer from part time to full time so the officer would be on site five days a week instead of a few hours per day.

Staff said the city is scheduling volunteers from local high‑school programs (including the Angero TC program) and other partners, but noted volunteers must sign waivers because of liability concerns. Staff also said they have worked with outside rescues and, in at least one instance, arranged transport to Fresno to help animals find placement. The city asked for community offers of assistance and said it will share shelter updates at an upcoming council meeting.

Bettencourt urged the council to form a volunteer or shelter‑advisory committee, to post fuller and more frequent adoption information, and to coordinate with rescues to increase transport and foster options. Several council members and staff said they supported volunteer outreach and would follow up to get more detailed information and to coordinate volunteers and resources.