One of the dogs rescued by the San Diego Humane Society on Friday (Photo courtesy San Diego Humane Society)East County News Service
April 4, 2026 (San Diego County) — The San Diego Humane Society’s East County campus and its main campus are operating under critical “over capacity” conditions this weekend following the arrival of a specialized transport of dogs from the Imperial Valley.
On Friday, April 4, 2026, four of 20 dogs transported from the Humane Society of Imperial County were admitted to the El Cajon SDHS Campus on North Marshall Avenue. The remaining 16 were taken to the San Diego Campus on Gaines Street near the University of San Diego.
San Diego Humane Society officials say that the move was intended to save lives — despite the severe local space shortage, and that it continues to seek potential adopters for all its companion animals.
Some background
The transfer is part of a recurring partnership to prevent euthanasia in the Imperial Valley, where rural shelters face even more dire overcrowding than those in San Diego.
The El Cajon site, which serves the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee, has been at the center of the region’s animal welfare crisis. Last October, SDHS reported a 248% occupancy rate, meaning shelters were housing nearly 2 1/2 times the number of animals they were designed to hold.
The arrival of the new dogs– described by SDHS leaders as social, friendly and ranging from small to medium in size — adds to a population of more than 670 dogs currently in the Humane Society’s care at its five main campuses across the county.
“It takes a village in animal welfare, and we are committed to working together to save lives,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of SDHS. “By bringing these dogs into our care, we are helping relieve some of the immense pressure on our partners in Imperial Valley while connecting these pets with a community ready to open their homes to them.”
Almost ready for prime time
Before being cleared for fostering and adoption, the newcomers will have veterinary screenings, undergo mandatory spay/neuter and get behavioral evaluations.
Adoption hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Contributions help fund the transport and medical care of animals from overburdened rural regions. For more information, visit sdhumane.org/adopt