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Ysabella Ruiz, left, and a friend hang out with “Carlo” at Lake County Animal Care and Control in Lakeport, California, on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Photo by Yitian Tong.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — A free adoption event on Saturday emptied half of the shelter at Lake County Animal Care and Control.
Animal Control Officer Wenceslao Rojas told Lake County News on Monday afternoon that 25 animals — 15 dogs and 10 cats — were adopted at the event, among about 50 animals available at the start.
“It’s been a fantastic time,” said Rojas. “I really do appreciate the county community for doing their part and showing up, and actually helping out and adopting a lot of the animals we have here.”
A Monday morning post on the department’s Facebook page indicated a slightly different final number — that “27 animals were sent to their forever homes.”
This was the second year that Animal Care and Control took part in the free adoption day. Last year’s event sent 21 animals to new homes.
The event was sponsored by the American Society for Prevention and Cruelty of Animals — or the ASPCA — along with the San Francisco SPCA and Cal-Animals.
Adoptions included spay and neuter, microchip, rabies vaccination, a heartworm test and a license.
A dog at Lake County Animal Care and Control in Lakeport, California, waits to meet potential adopters on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Photo by Yitian Tong.
Emptied shelter space, high community interest
The event took place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the shelter located in Lakeport. Rojas said it drew waves of potential adopters from the very start.
Visitors stopped by to see the animals. At their request, they could have the chance to play with those they liked for a while in a large fenced space right outside the kennel hall. Some decided to take one home on the spot.
As Rojas showed Lake County News around the kennels, Frank — a German shepherd — and Carlo were out in the play area with visitors who seemed interested in them.
Ysabella Ruiz, who was playing with Carlo, said she recently bought a new home and had been coming to the shelter for the past three months to look for adopting a dog.
For latecomers, choice became limited.
By around 2:30 p.m., 14 dogs and 10 cats had been adopted, leaving no cats in the shelter, Rojas said.
“All the cats have been adopted,” Rojas said, standing beside where the dogs played with potential adopters, while the chorus of barking rose and fell at the back from the kennels.
The turnout and adoption count, Rojas said, were “very, very good.”
“It actually helps us out now that we have a lot more open spaces here at the shelter,” he said, adding that the shelter has a total of 34 kennels to host dogs.
A dog shows off his smile to a visitor at Lake County Animal Care and Control in Lakeport, California, on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Photo by Yitian Tong.
Animal care concerns
Rojas said the department right now has four animal control officers on staff, patrolling and answering calls, setting up appointments to check on animals.
Speaking of the issue of animal mistreatment, Rojas emphasized the role of communities being alert, talking with pet owners, and “trying to figure something out” prior to calling Animal Care and Control.
“So if I get a call and I'm in Upper Lake, it's going to take me at least 30 minutes to get from Upper Lake all the way to Clearlake, because I still have to make that drive,” Rojas said, giving an example to highlight the importance of community action that can address concerns more quickly.
“My concern is owners actually doing their job and taking care of their dogs and cats,” Rojas said. “If they are taking care of their dogs and cats, there's no reason for us to go out there.”
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at
