Full Notification

On the morning of May 28th, 2026, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety received a call about a dog tied up to a fence in the area of the Santa Alicia foot bridge on the Copeland Creek path. The caller stated that the dog, a dark colored French Bulldog, appeared to have been abandoned. A Rohnert Park DPS Community Service Officer (CSO) arrived and located the dog still tied to the fence.

The dog was transported to the Rohnert Park Animal Shelter where employees recognized the dog. The employees told the CSO that a female subject had tried to turn the dog in to the shelter approximately one hour prior, but had left with the dog.

The incident was investigated by our department. As part of the investigation, security video from a Flock security camera in the area was reviewed. The video showed the dog being tied to the fence and left without food or water.

In an effort to identify the suspect, the video was shared by Rohnert Park DPS on social media. In a short amount of time we received numerous messages and telephone calls from individuals trying to help. This led to the identification of the male suspect in the video. The female who originally brought the dog to the shelter was identified through searching law enforcement databases and the Flock ALPR system.

Rohnert Park DPS is sending this case to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution of both suspects for the following misdemeanor charges:

PC 597s(a): Willful animal abandonment
PC 182(a)(1): Conspiracy to commit a crime

We recognize that people may face difficult circumstances, but abandoning an animal is not the answer when help and resources are available. If you are struggling to care for a pet, please contact your local animal services for guidance and assistance with safe, humane options.

We thank the public for their diligence in providing tips and information, which led to the identification of the individual involved; the dog is now safe and in the care of the Rohnert Park Animal Shelter.

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