Sacramento County Animals Digest

On Nov. 6, a group of protestors descended on Sacramento’s Front Street Animal Shelter to condemn what they view as deteriorating animal care and services at the city-run facility.

The park honors Roy C. Marcum, shot and killed on duty in November 2012; dedication ceremony includes animal fair, K-9 unit demonstration and a speech by Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli.

For eight straight days this summer, farmers in far Northern California drained almost all of the water out of a river in defiance of the state’s drought regulations. The move infuriated environmentalists and salmon-dependent Native American tribes downstream.

For the seventh September in a row, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has caught zero Delta smelt during its Fall Midwater Trawl Survey of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

California pet rental laws can get tricky, and are slightly different between subsidized housing and rentals. The Bee breaks down everything that pet lovers need to know.

2022 State of the Birds Report shows decline in more than half of the bird population, with grassland bird species shrinking the fastest. On the bright side, waterfowl are thriving in the nation’s wetlands.

Four Paws 2 Freedom, which started in 2011, has helped military veterans with PTSD gain “personal freedom through the company of a trained service dog,” said board chairman Steve Barnett, a former Army infantryman.

Researchers discovered Aug. 9 that 21,000 fish had died in their enclosures at UC Davis’ Center for Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture. Endangered or threatened native California species, including Chinook salmon and green sturgeon, were among the fish that died.

Dr. Ronald Li, a veterinarian at UC Davis, treated 23 cats rescued from the Tubbs fire in 2017. In addition to the expected traumatic injuries, something else caught Li’s attention. “We noticed clots forming within their hearts,” he said. “But at that time, we didn’t know why.”

The bald eaglet twins hatched in an eyrie considered the closest to Sacramento in recorded history are fledging. Read a first-hand account.

Local horse rescue Hope for Horses (H4H) celebrated its successful move to a new location after three months marked by uncertainty about the group’s future.

Black bears have been sighted uncomfortably close to civilization, including one near a school.

Backers of California’s High Speed Rail project haven’t had much to celebrate, given soaring costs and scaled-back service, but a new poll shows a solid majority of voters still want to move forward and finish the job.

After a ride in a jeep on a dirt road, we arrive at a troubling scene: a fish kill involving an estimated 200 endangered spring-run Chinook salmon.

A proposed bill in the California Legislature would make it easier to kill wild pigs doing damage to agricultural lands. Yet hunting associations are lining up to fight Senate Bill 856.

Sacramento County’s Bradshaw Animal Shelter made the transition to fully reopen to the public, doing away with adoption appointments and restricted hours.

North Natomas Regional Park has put a mixed flock of sheep and goats out to pasture, aiming to reduce the risk of fire this summer in the 130-acre regional park.

Local nonprofit Hope for Horses is trying to secure its own future, as its founder passes the reins to new leadership. The group is seeking donations to cover feed, veterinary care, and rehabilitation costs for its herd.

Low numbers of adult fall-run Chinook salmon returned to spawn in the Sacramento River in 2021, but the ocean abundance forecast for fall Chinooks is better than last year, according to federal and state scientists.

The Elk Grove City Council on Feb. 23 unanimously approved a $9.5 million purchase agreement for 100 acres of land for the potential relocation and expansion of the Sacramento Zoo in Elk Grove.

The city of Elk Grove has unanimously voted to purchase 100 acres of land in anticipation of a potential Sacramento Zoo move. The zoo, which is now only 14 acres, would be relocated to the northwest corner of Kammerer Road and Lotz Parkway.

Hank the Tank, that infamous oversized black bear from Lake Tahoe, won’t be killed or moved to a sanctuary after all. State wildlife officials originally said Hank was solely responsible for burglarizing nearly three dozen homes in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood.

California’s wildfires have been burning hotter and longer. Cal Fire keeps records of acres burned, structures destroyed and human lives lost, but there are no records of how many animals die or are injured by wildfires.

After two years of limitations due to the pandemic, the Effie Yeaw Bird and Breakfast event is back in its traditional format on March 19 and 27.

In collaboration with Fish and Wildlife Department officers, environmental activists have launched a campaign against poaching American River Parkway deer.

The 60 acres of real estate at Lotz Parkway and Kammerer Road represents an opportunity for Elk Grove to provide a new home for the animals in Sacramento’s aging zoo—and a turning point in its quest to become a regional destination.

With a new bill signed by Gavin Newsom, emotional support animals will not be permitted in as many stores and restaurants, clearing the way for legitimate guide dogs to be safer and more focused on their job.

The salmon population dropped significantly this year, and the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery is actively looking for solutions.

While the Sacramento Zoo has struggled to get a definitive answer from politicians regarding its move and expansion, recently announced plans for the former Sleep Train Arena now bring an Elk Grove location into focus.

While everyone was welcoming the rain over the weekend, an unfortunate side effect has crawled to the surface. Brace yourself, because cockroaches have been emerging from Sacramento's sewers, and they are doing so quickly.

In not one of the city’s finest moments, Sacramento is moving up on Orkin’s Top 50 Rattiest Cities List. Sacramento ranked in the 29th spot in 2021, moving up seven places from last year.

The California Highway Patrol recently graduated 10 canine teams at its West Sacramento facility. Each team completed more than 400 hours of training to be certified.