Pre-dawn rescue flight departs Van Nuys Airport after Lake Hughes animal rescue raid
SoCalNewsWire - March 24, 2026
Van Nuys, CA — An early morning airlift of nearly 100 shelter dogs departed Van Nuys Airport on Tuesday, March 24 as part of an ongoing effort to relieve overcrowding in Los Angeles County’s animal care system following last week’s large-scale seizure of animals in Lake Hughes. This was the second such flight aimed at easing pressure on the county shelter system; the first was conducted separately by Greater Good Communities on March 19, one day before the raid.
Tuesday’s flight, organized jointly by the nonprofit Wings of Rescue and Paws for Life K9 Rescue, was scheduled to take off at 3 a.m. from Van Nuys Airport (VNY); though it didn’t depart until later. Ground teams woke early to transport the dogs from the West Valley Animal Shelter in Mission Hills to the airport for loading.
“Teams from both organizations, including more than a dozen staff and volunteers, will work through the night transporting the dogs from West Valley Animal Shelter to Van Nuys Airport and loading them onto a life-saving Wings of Rescue flight in the pre-dawn hours morning.”, organizers said in a statement on Monday.
The aircraft is expected to land Tuesday afternoon in Gary, Indiana, serving the greater Chicago region. Once on the ground, the animals will be received by Chicago‑area rescue partners for adoption placement.
While both airlift operations provided relief, the 319 animals seized from the Lake Hughes property remain in the county’s care as evidence, blocking their adoption or transfer and reducing space for new arrivals.
“Right now, all seven of our care centers are supporting a large-scale animal seizure — an effort that is placing significant demand on our staff, space, and resources. Creating space is critical so we can continue to provide care for animals coming into our system.”, Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control said in a social media statement March 21.
Public response to the Lake Hughes Rock N Pawz raid has been mixed, with some residents questioning the need for the operation.In a Facebook comment on a L.A. Department of Animal Care and Control's Post (DACC) post, Morgan Le said of Rock N Pawz’s Christine DeAnda, “I am sure all the animals that were in her care were loved and treated properly.”On the same Facebook thread, Kathy Moacanin wrote, “These dogs look to be in good condition.”Despite the public support for DeAnda, officials maintain the raid was necessary. “We understand why people have questions,” the county responded. “However, much of the documentation of those conditions is part of an active investigation and cannot be released without compromising the case.”
A March 21 article in the New York Post reported that there “were dead animals at the rescue site,” in reference to Department of Animal Care and Control Director Marcia Mayeda. SoCalNewsWire has not independently verified the claim, and the department did not respond to a request for confirmation before publication.
As the investigation continues, the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is urging residents to adopt, foster, donate or volunteer to help care for the seized animals.
In a statement, the department said, “Please come to one of our animal care centers to adopt an animal in need or make a donation to the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation to support the medical, nutritional, and behavioral rehabilitation of these and other animals in DACC's care."