Twenty-two dogs, including eight puppies, were pulled from an encampment along the Oxnard river bottom this week, adding fresh strain to a Ventura County animal shelter system already stretched thin. The rescue unfolded near Fifth Street and Harbor Boulevard, close to the West Montalvo oil field, after reports came in of more than 20 dogs roaming the area.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the Oxnard Animal Safety Unit received the initial reports of dogs roaming near the encampment, which prompted a response from Ventura County Animal Services and Dog Days Search & Rescue. The two groups worked to secure the animals and transport them safely to a shelter, the outlet reported, describing the rescue as happening Monday.
Officer D. Wassil said the teams secured all 22 dogs and brought them to the shelter, confirming that the animals were safe and now in Ventura County Animal Services’ care. The group included eight puppies along with 14 young to fully grown adults, and all are described as mixed breeds. The dogs are being tracked under shelter identification numbers A856012 and A889781 through A889800.
Two Dogs Still Loose Near the Oil Field
Not every animal made it out in the initial sweep. Dog Days Search & Rescue is continuing efforts to trap two additional dogs still remaining in the oil field, according to the same report.
Before any of the rescued dogs are cleared for adoption, each will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, treated for fleas and microchipped. Animal services officials say they're hoping community members and rescue organizations will step up to help find homes for the group, and prospective adopters are being encouraged to monitor the Ventura County Animal Services website for profiles and adoption availability dates.
Shelters Already Stretched Before the Latest Arrivals
The rescue lands at a tough moment for the county's animal shelter system. Both Ventura County Animal Services shelter locations are currently operating at approximately 130% capacity, per the report.
That crowding isn't new. Back in May 2025, the agency told KCLU that its Camarillo shelter was housing 185 dogs in a facility built for 146, forcing staff to double up animals in enclosures meant for just one dog. At the time, the agency said it believed 80% to 90% of the dogs at that shelter were local strays who had homes but had simply gotten lost.
The latest intake from the river bottom encampment adds two dozen more mouths to feed into a system that was already over capacity well before this week's rescue, underscoring the pressure facing both the animals and the staff trying to place them.
