Valley Springs, CA – A dog tied to a board in the Valley Springs area of Calaveras County causes public concern.
It is this picture of the dog left in the middle of a field, posted on social media this past Saturday, January 3, 2026, that prompted the outcry. Calaveras County Animal Services (CCAS) put up the post below, noting that the sheriff’s office was also being dispatched to the location of the picture to hopefully catch the canine.
“We just received a call from a resident in the Valley Springs area (between Owens and Goggin) via CCSO. If this is your dog, he was tied to a fence board and has broken free. He is scared and not allowing anyone near him. Please call the shelter for the exact location. Currently, at the time of this posting, we are unable to retrieve him, and we are completely full.”
That prompted several social media comments questioning whether CCAS would continue searching for the pooch. One person asked, “This poor dog… please do not leave him like this (full or not); this is heartbreaking.” Shelter officials replied, “We have zero intention of leaving the dog…We are working with local resources to find the owner, and social media is exactly part of that process.”
Currently, the dog has not been captured. Anyone who recognizes the canine or knows its owner should contact the shelter at 209-754-6509, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
