Christine De Anda, the operator of Rock ’N’ Pawz in Lake Hughes, California, was charged September 18 with 35 offenses, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. Prosecutors allege that animals at the rescue suffered neglect and inadequate care.
The filing includes 12 felony animal cruelty counts, two felony counts of grand theft of labor and 21 misdemeanors, including animal care and county code violations. It is not a filing of 35 felony cruelty charges.
Her civil attorney, Daniel Josephson, told the Los Angeles Times she would contest the allegations and disputed information in the search warrant.
From the March search to the September charges
County agencies removed more than 300 animals during a March 20 search. An early county announcement estimated 700 dogs and cats; the September accounts describe the animals actually removed as more than 300.
Animal Care and Control said the animals remain subject to court proceedings and cannot be adopted until released by the court. The department described continuing medical care and said not every animal survived.
The district attorney said an arraignment date would be set later. De Anda is presumed innocent; the allegations have not been proven in court.
Sources
How we reported this: Buddylio checked county statements and the reported defense response. The initial estimate and later removal tally are distinguished above; we have not inspected the underlying warrant or criminal complaint.