Quail Valley Poodles Recovered From Illegal Perris Kennel

A Quail Valley woman was reunited with her two missing poodles Tuesday after animal control officers found them at a property about 15 miles away in an unincorporated area of Perris, authorities said today.

According to a news release from the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, the dogs were discovered during an investigation of a kennel in the 20500 block of Clark Street. Another 12 dogs were impounded and the owner was issued more than $13,000 in citations for code violations.

Nicole Hanmer of Quail Valley was identified as the owner of the two poodles after their microchips were scanned. She rushed to the scene with ownership papers and photos of her poodles -- Murray, a 2-year-old cream colored male, and Savvi, a 4-month-old brown and white female (left).

The dogs were returned to Hanmer, who told Animal Services employees the dogs had been missing since last Friday. She said she was shocked to find out they ended up so far from home.

The investigation began when a code enforcement officer notified Animal Services while investigating other possible violations. The property contained more than 30 dogs. According to the news release, the property owners previously have been in violation of a county ordinance requiring a proper kennel permit when a property has more than four dogs. The owners have been cited for failure to comply in the past.

Animal Services officers issued 32 citations for each of the adult dogs at the property for failure to vaccinate, failure to license, failure to microchip and failing to spay or neuter the dogs. Each citation is equal to $400 in fines.

The property was cited for a kennel violation for the fourth time, which carries a $500 penalty. Because all administrative citations for the kennel permit have been exhausted, the property was issued a criminal kennel permit violation. That penalty is determined by a Riverside County judge, according to Animal Services authorities.

A dog is considered property, per state law, and the Riverside County District Attorney's office is expected to receive from the Sheriff's Department an allegation of misappropration of found property against one of the men who resides at the home, according to the news release. Names of the owners were not released.

The impounded dogs will be cared for at the county's main shelter in Jurupa Valley. They will be placed on 10-day holds to offer would-be owners ample time to retrieve their pets.

Hanmer said she is happy her dogs are back home and encouraged other pet owners to microchip their pets.