Freeway encampment crackdown takes disturbing turn as dozens arrested, dogs and chickens found

A sprawling homeless encampment beneath a Los Angeles freeway became the target of a major crackdown this week, with more than 25 people arrested and dogs, cats and chickens rescued after furious animal advocates exposed the troubled area. The operation along San Fernando Road near the Sun Valley-Arleta border followed a weeklong campaign by longtime animal advocate Joey Tuccio, who accused City Hall of allowing illegal breeding and animal abuse to flourish.“This woman was pulling puppies out of a wooden box, saying that she’s selling them for $45, $100,” Tuccio told The California Post, sharing video he recorded at the location.“This is the dog’s fourth litter.

The last litter all died.”Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, who represents the area, confirmed the sweeping enforcement operation Thursday, saying LAPD had arrested more than 25 people.“We also have Animal Services here that is slowly but surely rescuing dogs, plenty of cats, as well as what we’ve discovered now, some chickens and some roosters,” Padilla announced in an Instagram video.“Today is the beginning of the end of this location being seen as a place for homeless individuals who are also engaging in illegal activity.”The disturbing conditions surfaced after Tuccio and another volunteer investigated reports of dogs living in drainage pipes and sewers near homeless encampments.What they discovered beneath the freeway stunned them.“While we’re there, they were telling us how somebody overdosed the day before and died.An RV was set on fire on purpose.

I mean, it was just like the apocalypse,” Tuccio recalled.He said an entire litter had died from parvovirus, a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease, while another puppy was recently struck and killed by a train.Tuccio said he repeatedly pressured Padilla’s office to intervene before city crews, police and Animal Services descended on the encampment.“They removed all the cats, and they removed multiple dogs,” he sai...