Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Sanctuary at risk, pets in peril

Ninety-one members of the Fallbrook community, all without family, face an uncertain future. Eighty-five of these are cats and six are dogs. Some were never reunited with their families after the Rice Canyon Fire; others were abandoned, relinquished or stray.

Due to a complaint filed by an area resident, these animals, which have been residing at the Fallbrook Animal Sanctuary, are in peril of losing the safe haven they call home until adoptive families are found for them.

On February 6 the Code Enforcement division of the County of San Diego Department of Planning and Land Use, responding to a solitary complaint, served the organization with a set of demands that must be met by March 6. Otherwise, the sanctuary will be subject to closure.

Located on rented property off Old Highway 395 on Shadow Lake Road in the northern tip of Escondido, this no-kill, not-for-profit shelter was established in 2002 to serve the communities of Fallbrook, Rainbow, De Luz and Bonsall.

It is currently comprised of one mobile home and five temporary structures set up on about three-quarters of an acre within an eight-acre parcel.

The organization survives strictly on the generosity of the community and is operated by a small but mighty group of 12 to 15 volunteers. To date, the group has found homes for and spayed or neutered more than 1,500 animals.

“We’re scared for all these animals,” says Dee Fremont, a director of the organization.

Fremont and founder Janet Lucore discussed the plight at hand last Sunday while doing chores around the property.

Lucore says the written citation from Code Enforcement was directed to the owner of the property, Western Sunset in San Marcos.

The letter directed the owner and the sanctuary to “cease operating and remove all evidence of a kennel or animal rescue organization from the property, or obtain a Major Use Permit <apply within 30 days> or reduce the number of small animals to a total of no more than six.”

In addition, the owner was told he was not allowed to store fleet vehicles on the property, nor was he allowed to use the property for open storage.

Currently, in order to operate the sanctuary on the property with the funds they have available, the organization is using portable shelters (similar to those used to shield vehicles) with multiple improvements that allow pets to be kept inside.

The county says all these structures and their contents must be moved inside a permitted building. However, a building meeting those requirements does not exist on the property.

“It’s not pretty, but it’s temporary,” said Lucore.

Lucore says she has made several attempts to speak with County employees to get guidance on how to resolve the situation and continue to provide a shelter for the animals in the meantime.

“I have met with a lot of resistance from the County,” Lucore says. “We need to know what we can do; they have been very vague with us. We’re doing the County a favor by providing this service.

“We have to show Code Enforcement that we are making progress to be in compliance, but we have been having a problem contacting people with the County who can tell us what we can do.”

Lucore said she has sent a letter to County Supervisor Bill Horn asking for his help in the situation, and in speaking with his office on Monday it was verified that Joan Wonsley, his chief of staff, is going to be arranging a personal meeting between Horn and sanctuary representatives.

Lucore has hopes that the Supervisor can provide some helpful guidance for the group and preserve their efforts.

Lucore says the organization has been saving money to buy the property they are renting, or another, if necessary, and are getting close to making it a reality.

The addition of a Major Use Permit sends costs higher and Lucore says the organization needs time to meet all the financial requirements. She explained that the sanctuary has a lease-option on the property they currently occupy and that the owner has said he will finance the purchase.

“We cannot afford to purchase a Major Use Permit on property we do not own,” Lucore says. “If we are forced to purchase the Major Use Permit, we will not have the resources to purchase the property.”

“We are caught between a rock and a hard place,” Lucore says. “We’re close [to being able to purchase property]. It takes a long time to save money when you are also taking care of so many animals in need.”

Taking care of the animals and meeting the needs of the members of the community keep the volunteers busy.

“We receive upwards of 70 phone calls a week from people looking for lost pets or relinquishing an animal they can no longer care for, or from a death in the family or a foreclosure on a home,” Lucore says. “We are a necessary part of the community.”

After the Rice Canyon Fire raced through the area, causing the evacuation of the entire town and displacing residents and their pets, the burden was even greater. “We helped many injured or burned animals,” Lucore said.

Lucore, Fremont and their team of volunteers have helped reunite pets with their owners and are continuing their attempts to find foster care or permanent new homes for the remaining animals.

The citation from the County also states that the onsite mobile home in which Lucore and her husband are living in order to provide onsite care for the animals cannot be occupied.

For now, the group awaits suggestions from Horn as to how it would best to proceed.

“We would really appreciate it if any Fallbrook residents would send an e-mail or letter to Supervisor Horn in support of us,” Lucore said. “If they could send us a copy to [email protected], we would appreciate having it for our files.”

If you are interested in adopting a pet, visit http://www.fallbrookanimalsanctuary.org for photos and descriptions of available animals. Adoption cost includes spay or neuter and all animals are current on their shots.

If you know of a property (zoned R, O or T) that would be suitable for the sanctuary, or if you would like to volunteer your time or make a donation, call (760) 685-3533.

 

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