Historic animal rescue operation conducted by Verizon Frontline and Los Angeles County DACC

At a glance

• The mission: LA County DACC executed a historic rescue of 300+ hoarded dogs and cats near Lake Hughes, CA.
• The obstacle: Remote, rural conditions severely limited the communication needed to coordinate the multi-agency effort.
• The solution: Verizon Frontline rapidly deployed emergency connectivity, creating a “data highway” to sync teams and triage animals.

When the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control (DACC) identified a massive animal hoarding situation in a remote area near California’s Lake Hughes, they began planning an intense, multi-agency rescue operation. But they faced a critical obstacle: connectivity challenges in the rural region were limiting their mission-critical communication capabilities.

To safely coordinate and execute the rescue of more than 300 cats and dogs, one of the largest animal welfare missions in California history, the DACC needed connectivity and they needed it fast.

Enter the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team.

The team arrived on-site hours before the operation began, working in the dark to establish secure mission-critical connectivity across two strategic locations for dozens of DACC employees, veterinarians and law enforcement officers. 

By the time first responders moved in, a reliable “data highway” was live. This emergency connectivity allowed rescue teams to sync movements across the large site, triage animals in real-time and maintain a secure line of communication with outside medical facilities.

“DACC extends our heartfelt gratitude to Verizon Frontline for providing the essential equipment that ensured our communications remained uninterrupted during the Lake Hughes incident,” said Christopher Vales, DACC Animal Control Manager and Public Information Officer. “The team’s support has been invaluable in helping us respond effectively and keep the animals in our community safe.”

This swift action highlights the dedication of the Verizon Frontline team and their commitment to providing the connectivity and solutions necessary for public safety agencies to execute complex missions, no matter the location.

“Thanks to this rapid deployment and the coordinated effort between Verizon Frontline and Los Angeles County, local agencies successfully rescued hundreds of cats and dogs from unthinkable conditions,” said HP Le, Verizon Frontline senior manager for crisis response. “We stand prepared to support our public safety agencies across all types of operations with mission-critical connectivity.”

Verizon Frontline is the advanced, award-winning network and technology built for first responders, developed over three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies on the front lines, to meet their unique and evolving needs.