UPDATE OCT. 7th 1pm: We received the following update:
“Confirming that Plumas County Animal Services (PCAS) has the mom and pups. They are all healthy and doing well.”
We suspect that the mom and pups will be transferred to High Sierra Animal Rescue and will update here if/when/where they are available for adoption.
Thank you for everyone’s efforts in putting pressure on PCAS and the sheriff to do the right thing. This resulted in a (partial) victory for the mom and her pups. They may still be in the mud if it wasn’t for community awareness and pressure.
Mr. Gregory, as far as we know, still has one dog, several chickens and possibly 2 sheep. Someone who treats their animals this way should not be permitted to keep animals- period.
If you have witnessed or witness Robert Gregory abusing his animals (which we have heard he does) or abusing them in any way, immediately call the Plumas County sheriff at (530) 283-6375 and insist they take a report. Mr. Gregory lives at 325 1st St. in Portola and has land at 370 Idle Hour Dr.
Unfortunately Plumas County Animal Services continues to euthanize dogs, cats and other animals every year. Breeding animals just continues this cycle of suffering and death which is why we need free or affordable spay/neuter services available to everyone. Thank you to Friends of Plumas County Animals who organize a community cat “spayathon” twice a year to prevent uncontrolled breeding (partially funded by the county). Spay/neuter vouchers for pet dogs and cats can be obtained from PCAS or local rescues. With more efforts like this, we can hopefully join counties whose shelters have become no-kill. Always “adopt, don’t shop” when adding an animal companion to your family so that animals are not euthanized at shelters.
You can write to the board of supervisors, thank them for supporting the community cat spayathon, and ask them to do whatever it takes to become a “no kill” county. Tell them that animal welfare is important to you and your community. Send comments to:
pcbs@countyofplumas.com
UPDATE OCT. 1ST 11:30AM: We continue to be stonewalled with regard to the status of the Robert Gregory case. Alex Saez, the ACO, continues to refuse to provide any details.
It appears that Plumas County Animal Control (part of whose mission statement is to “dispose of unwanted stray animals..”) considers acceptable these conditions and Mr. Gregory’s threats to kill his dog and “replace her” when he doesn’t want to pay for routine vet care. The County is allowing this animal abuser to keep his animals, even though multiple foster homes and rescues have come forward to take in the animals. This is not acceptable.
Plumas County, under current leadership, puts “animal ownership” above all else including enforcing the laws on animal cruelty and neglect, and preventing suffering.
You can help by:
–donating money for outreach/ legal action
— attending an upcoming demonstration in Quincy
— speaking at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting in Quincy/ or by phone
please contact us if you can help in these ways. Thank you, FRA!
UPDATE SEPT. 29TH 3:45PM: We received the following response from Plumas County Animal Control:
It’s an open case and being handled.
Thank you,
PCAC Staff
201 N Mill Creek Rd
Quincy, CA 95971
530-283-3673
Feel free to call them and ask them for more details, about how they are following the law….by leaving puppies in the dirt and with a man who leaves animals without food or water and on a chain, and shoots them when they no longer serve his purposes…this is a truly sick County if people think this is OK.
UPDATE SEPT. 28TH 2:30pm: As far as we know the animals are all still at the location. Animal Control say they have “successfully been in contact with the owner of the animals and will be working towards a solution.” Unfortunately any solution that allows this man to continue to own animals is not a solution. Foster carers are badly and immediately needed for the dog mom and 9 puppies. Please contact us for more details.
UPDATE SEPT. 27TH 3PM: We are told by Plumas Sheriff that this is an active investigation, that the ACO visited last night and took photos, but no action has been taken yet.
UPDATE SEPT. 27TH 2PM: The animals at the Idle Hour property remain on their own, and we understand the county is deferring to the ‘owner’ who remains out of town and plans to meet him out there tomorrow (sunday). The mother dog now has access to water, but the rear ends of the mother dog as well as the sheep are absolutely filthy, at immediate risk of fly strike, and they all need to get out of this intolerable situation ASAP. Please call the sheriff at (530) 283-6375 even if you already have and demand the animals are taken TODAY.
A Portola resident named Robert Gregory has a history of abusing and neglecting animals. We suspect that he shot and killed one of his dogs rather than get her routine eye surgery, saying it was cheaper to replace her. When we confronted him about it, he did not deny it. But without any direct evidence, we couldn’t do anything. He has since told another person that the dog was “stolen.”
Yesterday, a visitor to his property on Idle Hour Dr. discovered a number of animals on his land without food or water. His Great Pyrenees dog was found chained up, unable to reach her water dish, and having just given birth to 9 puppies, which are nesting in the dirt. Mr. Gregory did not even know his dog was pregnant. She has hip dysplasia and needs medical treatment. There is also feces and blood on her from giving birth, and she cannot clean herself off. The puppies need to be in a warm and sanitary environment, as parvo lives in the soil and they will suffer and die if not immediately confiscated by the county. There is another dog there without proper food or water access and several sheep and chickens, also neglected. Some kind neighbors have since fed and watered the animals, but they are still on their own and the dogs are still chained with no supervision.
There is no running water on the property, and no human in residence. Mr. Gregory visits intermittently and has to carry in water by foot. In addition to being neglectful and abusive to animals, he is having health and financial issues and simply is not in a position to care for these animals.
We called Plumas County Animal Services, and spoke with ACO Alex Saez, who did not take the matter seriously, leaving them to fend for themselves for the night. He says he is going out there today to meet with the owner, Robert Gregory, to “counsel” him. We told Alex that there is no counseling this man (we’ve tried), that the animals need to be confiscated and brought to safety immediately. We also called the sheriff which oversees animal control and demanded the same thing. They say they will go out there this evening to talk with Mr. Gregory. The county seems to think it is acceptable to let newborn puppies writhe in the dirt for days while they wait for a good time for the owner to meet with them.
These animals don’t need talk, they need swift action. Please help us and put pressure on the sheriff to immediately bring these animals to safety.
ACO Alex Saez has a history of gaslighting and giving misinformation to people who call animal services requesting help or reporting neglect. When we have reported other cases of abuse he acts annoyed and dismissive. When people call asking for help with feral cats, instead of referring them to existing (free) spay/neuter resources available, he has told people to “stop feeding them” (which is not in any way a solution) and we were told by one person that he told them to hire an exterminator, which is both inhumane and illegal.
TAKE ACTION: Please call or email BOTH the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office and Plumas County Board of Supervisors and demand that Mr. Gregory’s animals be immediately confiscated and brought to safety. Demand that Mr. Gregory be prohibited from owning animals. Also demand that Alex Saez be removed from his position as he does not care for animals or for the community.
Plumas County Sheriff: CrystalGordy@countyofplumas.com (530) 283-6375
Plumas County Board of Supervisors: pcbs@countyofplumas.com (530) 283-6170
How we treat animals and our environment is inextricably linked, and neither are faring well at the moment. We must stand up for what is right.
Thank you for taking action today.
Feather River Action!
Dear Mr Sheriff, please be kind enough to bring these abandoned dogs and puppies to animal sanctuary. They will take good care of these abandoned animals
https://www.highsierraanimalrescue.org/
This is a dog rescue in your area. Please contact NOW!!!!
I hope you have taken action by now to take proper care of these animals!!!
https://www.highsierraanimalrescue.org/
This is a dog rescue in your area.
This person must not be allowed to own animals in the future and he should have charges against him for animal abuse ans neglect. PLEASE SEE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTS ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF CALIFORNIA
p.s. I wish I could offer more but I’m in Missouri.
I contacted the Best Friends Animal Society in Los Angeles about the plight of these animals. They are a large organization with locations all over the country
Below is their contact info in LA:
1845 Pontius Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (424) 208-8840
Email: bestfriendsla@bestfriends.org
Thank you Debra, the problem is that animal control refuses to do the right thing and remove the animals. They have a history of deferring to the “owner” even in cases of abuse, sadly. Alex Saez, the ACO, needs to resign and find another venue for his sadistic outlook. We contacted HSAR and other local rescues and they are talking to Alex, but so far we understand the animals are still with Mr. Gregory.
Is anything being done to take care of these poor creatures? It is a horrific situation and I’m hoping these puppies and their mom are not out there laying in the mud and rain! It’s hard to get information from our county officials.
No unfortunately they are out there in the mud and the rain as far as we know, under a trailer. At least two of the sheep are still there without adequate shelter, plus chickens. We assume they are being fed but do not know. See recent update from today, thank you for your support. You can keep calling the county/ sheriff (who runs animal control) and animal control themselves. Especially if you live in this county and pay taxes and vote.
The lesson from this episode is that if you see animals being abused/ neglected in this county, do not call animal control or the sheriff. Take care of it yourself and rehome the abused animals somewhere safe.