What is Mountain CAP?
Mountain Community Animal Protection Program (Mountain CAP) is a Southpaw Rescue program service focused on:
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Rescuing animals dumped in our mountain communities
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Working with San Bernardino County government and law enforcement to obtain evidence when animal dumping occurs
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Supporting animal cruelty cases as they move through the legal system
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Creating greater accountability for those who abandon animals in our communities
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Working toward prevention through education, deterrence and community action
Mountain CAP brings rescue, prevention and accountability together. We respond when an animal is dumped, work to identify and hold those responsible accountable, and work with our community and government partners toward preventing the next animal from being abandoned.
What We Are Seeing:
Along and around Highway 38, dogs are being abandoned at an alarming rate.
They are being left on roadsides, in picnic areas, near hiking trails, and deep in the wilderness. Some are seen running through traffic for days. Others are found injured, starving, sick, or already deceased.
Community members are stopping traffic to keep dogs from being hit, searching for them in the woods, paying out of pocket for veterinary care, fostering them in already full homes, and trying to hold together a system that is overwhelmed.
Loose and unvaccinated dogs create risks for wildlife, pets, and public safety. Families are carrying the emotional and financial burden of a crisis they did not create.
What we are seeing is not sustainable. It cannot continue to fall solely on the compassion of the community.
Compassion should not be the only safety net these animals have.
We're Taking Action
A Community Petition for Change
Southpaw Rescue submitted a petition with 440 signatures asking the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to address the ongoing dumping of animals in our mountain communities. That petition opened the door to a 30-minute meeting with Supervisor Dawn Rowe’s office to discuss the problem and possible solutions.
Since then, Mountain CAP has continued working with Supervisor Rowe’s office, the San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney’s Office, San Bernardino County Public Health, Guardian SPCA and other agency partners.
Town Hall
On July 22, 2026, Southpaw Rescue hosted a Mountain CAP Town Hall at the Forest Falls Community Center, bringing our community together with Guardian SPCA, representatives from Supervisor Dawn Rowe’s office, San Bernardino County Public Health, Yucaipa Police Department and Devore Animal Shelter. The conversation gave community members the opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and hear directly from the agencies involved. Most importantly, it helped establish the relationships and cooperation needed to move Mountain CAP forward.
Attendees were given handouts letting them know exactly what to do if they witness animal dumping.
Where we are now - September 2026
Mountain CAP has moved from planning into action. We have submitted an anti-abandonment signage proposal to Caltrans, are establishing surveillance in areas where animals are being dumped, and are building a volunteer team to help document evidence when dumping occurs.
The need has not slowed. In September, another dog was dumped along the Highway 38 corridor. Despite an extensive community response involving professional animal trappers, surveillance equipment, a thermal drone and a tracking dog, he was ultimately struck and killed by a vehicle.
On September 23, Southpaw Rescue will sit down with California State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh to discuss animal dumping in our mountain communities, the work underway through Mountain CAP, and opportunities for support at the state level as we continue moving this effort forward.
Support the Mission
Mountain CAP is powered by Southpaw Rescue and people who believe animals should not be abandoned in our mountain communities to suffer unimaginable circumstances which can lead to a brutal death. Please support our mission by:
👕 Wear the message — Mountain CAP merchandise helps raise awareness and support the work.
📣 Start conversations — Share Mountain CAP and help more people understand what is happening along Highway 38 and in our mountain communities.
⚖️ Stand with us — Join the CAP Accountability Team and stand with us as animal cruelty cases move through the legal system.
COMING SOON: Car/Truck Bumper Magnets available in October. Pre-order today at "Shop Mountain CAP Merchandise"
Shop Mountain CAP Merchandise
The Reality
Get Involved
The animals above are only some of those abandoned along Highway 38 and in our mountain communities. The only way to continuing to help these deserving animals is by community involvement.
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See something? Document it. If you witness an animal being dumped, safely document what you can including the license plate, vehicle description, exact location, date and time, and photos or video when possible. Never put yourself in danger to gather evidence.
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Share the message. Talk about what is happening in our mountain communities and help us make animal dumping harder to ignore.
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Stay informed. Sign up for the Southpaw Rescue newsletter for Mountain CAP updates, including cases we are following, upcoming court dates and progress on the program.Join the Mountain CAP volunteer team. Volunteers help support our evidence-gathering efforts and other CAP activities. Some volunteer roles require a background check.
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Stand with us in court. Join the CAP Accountability Team to attend hearings together and show that animal cruelty cases matter to our community.
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Foster! We can only save them if we have a safe place for them to land.
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