Residents and advocates press board for action after repeated animal-welfare complaints

At the Feb. 11 San Diego County Board of Supervisors Land Use session, several members of the public urged the board to investigate alleged neglect at a private ranch and to address operational problems in county animal shelters.

Lynn Frudenberg told the supervisors that horses on Artesian Road have ‘‘suffered for years’’ and said one horse named Penny died in 2025 from severe malnutrition. Frudenberg said two other horses seized in September 2025 are now stable under contracted veterinary care and urged the county to use probation conditions, warrants and animal-cruelty laws to protect animals.

Other callers amplified those concerns. A caller identified as Michelle alleged corruption and favoritism and said Department of Animal Services had failed animals in Supervisor Tara Lawson Riemer’s district; she called for the supervisor’s resignation. Dora Fahim, president and founder of Los Angeles Alliance for Animals, told the board she and others have reported problems for years — alleging inconsistent complaint handling, retaliation and a lack of corrective action — and asked why county leadership had not resolved those issues.

Shelter volunteers and local advocates also urged concrete policy changes. Kelsey Coblin, a voting constituent for Supervisor Lawson Riemer, called for reinstating and actively managing the shelter volunteer program, prioritizing spay-and-neuter services to prevent intake, and using foster-placement strategies to reduce euthanasia. Laurie Palagino asked why the shelter director had resigned and said euthanasia decisions appeared driven by staffing shortages rather than medical necessity.

The public commenters made serious allegations about past practice and leadership; the board record for the day shows no formal board action on those allegations. During earlier non-agenda exchanges staff offered to follow up with individual commenters and county planning staff directed members to county staff who could receive documentation. No county findings or disciplinary outcomes were reported during the meeting.

The board did not vote on shelter governance or personnel at the session; speakers asked the board to open investigations, restore volunteer capacity, and report back with remedies. The board clerk noted public submissions and staff said they could follow up with callers and receive submitted documentation.