As Inland Valley Humane Society staff raced to help people and pets during the Grand Fire in Chino Hills on Wednesday, someone helped themselves to one of the group’s most important tools: a pickup truck used for rescues, mobile clinics, and supply runs.
The theft has temporarily sidelined one of the shelter’s field vehicles, leaving teams short a workhorse truck they count on for getting to animals in need and delivering services across the region.
According to CBS Los Angeles, the truck was taken from the organization’s San Gabriel Valley location while staff were out on a fire response. Shelter officials reported the theft to police and released the license plate number, 49284H3. In an Instagram post, they called the situation “incredibly disheartening” and urged residents to report any sightings of the vehicle.
Fire response and evacuations
The blaze, dubbed the Grand Fire, ignited Wednesday evening near Grand Avenue and Pleasant Hill Drive and grew to roughly 30 acres, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for nearby Tonner Canyon neighborhoods, according to an incident update from CAL FIRE. Investigators believe a single-vehicle rollover sparked the brush fire as crews worked to contain the flames, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Why the truck matters for rescue work
The Inland Valley Humane Society relies on mobile units and trucks for outreach, spay and neuter clinics, and transporting supplies, services described on the shelter’s website that become even more critical during emergencies. The organization’s “Good Mobile” program, which runs community clinics and mobile services around Pomona and the San Gabriel Valley, is the kind of outreach that typically depends on vehicles like the one that was taken.
What officials and the shelter say
Despite the loss, shelter leaders say they will keep serving the community. Staff reiterated that the theft was reported to police and asked anyone with information to contact local law enforcement, according to CBS Los Angeles. As of now, no arrests have been announced, the truck has not been recovered, and investigators have not released further details.
