Two dogs that had been terrorizing a neighborhood near the Fresno-Clovis border were finally captured after a nearly three-week search, the city of Fresno confirmed.

Residents on the Nextdoor app reported that the dogs had been aggressive towards people and killed multiple cats. “They got aggressive with me and my 4-year-old one day and killed my neighbor’s cat,” one neighbor wrote. Another claim suggested that the dogs had killed as many as 20 cats before being caught.

Neighbors in the Clovis Estates area reported that animal control initially cornered the dogs against a resident’s front door but was unable to capture them.

Efforts to Capture the Dogs

Fresno Animal Center Director Alma Torres confirmed that the dogs were secured after a nearly three-week effort, with assistance from Clovis Animal Services.

Torres said one dog was captured on Monday night, with the second caught on Tuesday. She added that the dogs were not aggressive toward animal service staff during the capture.

She said that the dogs were roaming a large area, noting that information shared on apps like Nextdoor and Ring doesn’t always get communicated to city agencies which would make the capture easier for them.

The dogs were spotted across a broad area, from Winery and Rialto to Ashlan and Highland avenues, Torres said. Torres emphasized that the community’s assistance in tracking the dogs’ movements played a crucial role in the search.

“What worked for us this time, and as it has worked in previous times, is that our community has been the key to helping us find them. In the instances for yesterday and for today … we had somebody in the community say we found them here,” Torres said. “We then stay connected and we’re able to locate them.”

If the dogs’ owners are identified, they could face citations for violations such as allowing animals to run at large.

Neighbors’ Frustrations With Response Times

Animal control officials acknowledged frustrations with response times. Some residents reported delays of up to 48 hours. “They keep telling everyone to call when the dogs are sighted, and then they don’t show up for days,” one neighbor said.

Torres explained that response times vary depending on the severity of the situation.

“It depends on what the call is,” Torres said. “If we don’t have all of the information, we will make assessments based on the information we do have.”

Torres also noted that if a situation is a public safety issue, a response team would be dispatched immediately. However, if it’s simply a stray animal that doesn’t pose a threat, response times may be longer.

“If it’s an active threat to the community, we will ask questions,” she said. “We do have a response time chart that helps us because we get a lot of calls and we have to prioritize those that are emergencies.”

Preventing Future Incidents

Torres urged pet owners to ensure their dogs are properly confined to prevent incidents like these. She also encouraged owners to check their fencing and consider spaying or neutering their animals.

Authorities also reminded residents to report any animal-related concerns. “Please call your appropriate jurisdiction, whether it’s Clovis, Fresno Humane, or ourselves or the city of Fresno,” Torres said. “Let us know what those issues are.”

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