ANIMAL SEE – Los Angeles Animal Services shelters are loaded with adoptable dogs kept in cages in corridors, several animals in kennels, and conditions so hazardous that just recently 2 dog attacks—one on a volunteer, another severely hurting a staff member—took place within 2 weeks.
Yet, on April 30, 2023, KTLA-5 News revealed, “700 dogs rescued from puppy mill in Iowa; 53 available for adoption in Studio City, and that a weekend adoption event by Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue was being held for this purpose by a “rescue.” That is a loss of those 53 houses for regional shelter animals.
A report by Newsbreak states that, “According to Melissa Bacelar of Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue, around 30 rescue groups participated in the effort to rescue these dogs from one of the largest puppy mills in the Midwest. Wagmor was the only California-based group to receive rescued dogs.”
“It added that an adoption event would be held to honor “National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.” But it appears the shelter dogs will not exist to be embraced.
IS “WAGMOR PET STORE AND RESCUE” A SHELTER PARTNER?”
The City and County of Los Angeles both have lots of non-profit “rescue” companies which are not taxed on make money from adoptions or contributions, get animals totally free of charge or extremely marked down, and are enabled an extreme variety of animals, since they are “partnering” with the shelters to alleviate overcrowding.
There is no sign that Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue is a “partner” with Los Angeles Animal Services, and it is not called on the latest public listing for L.A. County shelters rescue partners.
However, Wagmor has an astounding number of animals available for adoption on its website and on PetFinder—and now 53 more can be included.
A Google search to figure out Wagmor’s tax reports and the names of officers, and so on., raised a site with a large number of public records consisting of details on the corporation, tax filings, interactions with the Office of the State Attorney General and lots of other problems.
There are 20 Google reviews (2.4 ranking) on the Wagmor Pet Shop and Rescue’s Website and extra comments/ratings here.
But, the concern still stays: In a City where shelters are so overcrowded and conditions are terrible, why didn’t this regional rescue take a few of the Los Angeles Animal Services’ dogs, instead of fill severely required regional houses with imported pure-bred animals to commemorate “National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day?”
L.A. HAS A BREEDING ISSUE
Last year, alone, the Los Angeles Animal Services provided 2,260 dog breeders licenses, a 15% boost over the 1,876 obtained in 2021—and L.A. is questioning why it has a pet-overpopulation issue!
This likewise discusses the high variety of taken Pit Bulls, which can have litters of 10 to 13 puppies and are simple to offer since of the City’s guarantee that these are family animals.
Thus, breeding cats, dogs, bunnies or other animals for revenue can be performed in a little leasing or any domestic area. The City does not implement a business/sales-tax license for this rewarding and typically harsh at-home business—however fractures down hard on yard sales!
There is no City license/permit required to breed kittens or bunnies and the laws on sales are neglected.
California law states, “if you make 3 or more sales in a 12-month duration, you are needed to hold a seller’s license, however nobody in L.A. is counting.
Also lost with the reported closing of animal stores in LA (and, later on, throughout the state)—was the enforcement of the prolonged and comprehensive CA Health & Safety Code § 122350 – 122361, plus the rigid Polanco,-Farr, Lockyer Pet Protection Act, and Penal Code Sections 597 and 597.1—which offered rigid securities for buyers and for the animals.
(See: Pet Dogs: LA Becomes a No-Limit City.)
PAUL KORETZ HAPPILY THANKED HIS GROUP
In his June 9, 2011, Newsletter, Councilman Paul Koretz revealed the passage of, “(t)he prohibition of the establishment and/or operation of puppy, kitten, chicken and rabbit mills within the City of Los Angeles.”
He praised Judie Mancuso, President, Social Compassion in Legislation; Ed Buck, Social Compassion in Legislation (both of whom were envisioned with him), Best Friends, the Humane Society, and all the folks and companies who had “taken the lead on this vital concern over the years.”
HANK GREENWOOD, ADBA, AND ED DOLLAR SPOKE ON PUPPY MILL RESTRICTION
At the June 6, 2011, City Council hearing on limiting the breeding of pure-blooded dogs in L.A., it deserves keeping in mind that an uncommon personal look was made by Hank Greenwood, president of the American Dog Breeder Association in Salt Lake City, (initially, the ADBA was formed to tape the history of Colby battling pit bulls however traditionally and presently it preserves the computer system registry that notes Champion American Pit Bull Terriers. He warned that, “the city could be in for some unintended consequences.”
In a later telephone interview, with Daily News press reporter Rick Orlov, Greenwood said, “Cities think they can take control of the puppy mills, but all they are doing is creating shortages of some breeds and that leads to a black market of animals. And that’s an industry with no regulations at all and they (will) find a way to sell the animals they produce.”
Another speaker at that conference estimated by Orlov was Ed Buck, who suggested he was associated with the Southern California Golden Retriever Association, and told the council he supported the procedure as “a way to allow responsible breeders to operate.” “This will put responsible breeders where they belong and so they do not have unfair competition,” he mentioned.
(Buck determined himself in 2017 as a “rescuer” throughout the examination of the deaths of Jamel Moore, and later on Timothy Dean, at his West Hollywood home, for which he was later on condemned.)
THE WEB REPLACED ANIMAL SHOPS IN LA
On June 3, 2017, an Internet search revealed 1,004 personal and business advertisements in the Recycler (a totally free marketing publication) for puppies in the Los Angeles location, priced from $450 to $3,500. Some sellers said they might supply pups of numerous types, showing a puppy broker or mass-breeding operation. None in the very first couple of pages pointed out AKC registration. (Read more: LA’s ‘Puppy Mill-Pet Shop Ban’… Success or Hypocrisy?)
The paradox—and hypocrisy—of the “puppy mill pet shop ban” was and is that anybody can get a breeders’ license for a dog from LA Animal Services by simply paying $235, plus $100 for an undamaged dog license/permit. (Cats are not accredited by the City, however the LAAS website reveals a needed “in-tact” license, plus breeder’s charge.)
Or, Angelenos can breed and offer animals without an authorization without much worry of charge. Breeding authorizations are provided without a zoning requirement or facility check.
RESTRICTION ON SALE OF DOGS/CATS FROM PUPPY MILLS RELOCATES TO SACRAMENTO
In a Sept. 15, 2017, News Release, Judie Mancuso, creator and president of Social Compassion in Legislation revealed that a California State expense, AB 485, had actually passed both homes of the CA legislature, and mentioned, that this “landmark bill will bar the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits sourced from high-volume, commercial breeding facilities in all pet shops through the state. Instead, pet shops will be required to source animals from local shelters and rescues.”
Mancuso, likewise included, “AB 485 is a historical expense that will get rid of the need for high volume, cruelly reproduced dogs, cats, and bunnies in our animal stores.”
Then on December 31, 2018, PRNewswire, revealed that the State Bill patterned after the Los Angeles regulation had actually passed which “California Kicks Puppy Mills Out of Pet Shops, and that it would will go into effect on January 1.”
It likewise mentioned that the restriction, AB 485, the Pet Rescue and Adoption Act, was “sponsored by California-based political animal-advocacy group, Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL)” which it would, “… eliminate the trafficking of mill-bred animals into California pet stores and save thousands of “animals’ lives from euthanasia in California shelters.”
But it didn’t work as the sponsor prepared since the couple of existing animal stores closed their doors. Brokers required to the web to carry out the animal business without guidelines, and lots of “rescues” (not consisted of in the laws) took the chance to fill deep space and “save” puppy mill disposes of. This left less room for animals to be drawn from the shelters and the present unpleasant overcrowding is the outcome.
RESCUERS BEGAN PURCHASING PUPPY-MILL DOGS FOR RESALE
In CA ‘Rescued-Pet Shop’ Sham Helps Puppy Mills Thrive Through Legal Loopholes, we reported that a Colorado rescue organization confessed purchasing puppies at puppy-mill auctions, and economically supporting the market they declare to hate.
And a CBS 2-On-Your-Side Investigation on May 2, revealed in face-to-face interviews that a few of the retail “rescued-pet shops” have actually ended up being a sham that not just enables, however legislates, puppy sales by dishonest tax-exempt “rescuers” who acquire straight from puppy-mill suppliers that have actually obtained 501(c)(3) status.
“You’re being conned, it’s blatant consumer and charity fraud,” Deborah Howard of Companion Animal Protection Society, among the fans of AB 485, the statewide Bill, told CBS.
IS THE RESTRICTION OPERATING IN L.A. OR CALIFORNIA?
In a Sept. 15, 2017, press release, Social Compassion in Legislation revealed that AB 485 had actually passed both homes of the CA legislature and mentioned, AB 485 is a historical expense that will get rid of the need for high volume, cruelly reproduced dogs, cats, and bunnies in our animal stores.
Judie Mancuso, creator and president of Social Compassion in Legislation, likewise mentioned in the release, “This landmark bill will bar the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits sourced from high-volume, commercial breeding facilities in all pet shops through the state. Instead, pet shops will be required to source animals from local shelters and rescues.”
On October 13, 2017, CBS reported that Governor Jerry Brown had actually revealed on Friday that he signed a law that makes California the very first state to prohibit the sale of animals from puppy mills.
“Supporters said the state measure, AB 485, ensures better treatment of animals. The pet store industry said it removes important consumer protections,” the release states.
“Brown did not comment on his decision,” it included.
NEVERTHELESS, IT DIDN’T QUITE WORK THAT METHOD
Instead, the eleven—mainly family-owned little animal stores in the city of Los Angeles simply closed up. The “rescuers” ended up being the sellers. And now, on National Shelter Dog Awareness Day, Wagmore Pets in Studio City, CA, is using-puppy mill dogs from Iowa for adoption.
See likewise: ‘Rescuers’ Buying Puppy-Mill Dogs for Resale … Federal Investigation Urged
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a previous Los Angeles City staff member, an animal activist and a factor to CitySee)
