Lake Hughes Rescue Operator Faces 35 Charges
Lake Hughes Rescue Operator Faces 35 Charges
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Key Points
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The rescue, Rock ’N’ Pawz, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000, according to its website. A GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $9,000 for De Anda’s legal defense, with the organization saying the case threatens the rescue’s future.
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Prosecutors alleged that some animals were found eating their own feces. A video released by prosecutors reportedly showed dogs doubled up in cages and more than a dozen cats confined in a fenced area.
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Prosecutors said dogs bent kennel wire while trying to escape, which an employee believed was an effort to reach water; De Anda allegedly did not want water kept in the cages because spills would create additional work.
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The seized animals included not only dogs and cats but also a pig, rabbit, goose and two goats, according to prosecutors.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the allegations reflected a basic failure of responsibility: “For someone who calls herself an animal rescuer, there's a fundamental responsibility to protect and care for the animals entrusted to her.”
Christine De Anda, a 57-year-old animal rescue operator in Lake Hughes, California, faces 35 felony and misdemeanor charges after authorities removed over 300 animals from her property in March. Fox News reports that prosecutors allege the 233 dogs, 66 cats, and other animals—including a pig, rabbit, goose, and two goats—were kept in severe overcrowded and filthy conditions with starvation, dehydration, and untreated injuries. One cat was found dead, and rescue workers needed respirators due to dangerously high ammonia levels.
The seizure marks the largest single animal rescue in Los Angeles County animal department history. Channel 3000 reports De Anda, who operated the nonprofit Rock 'N' Pawz since 2000, continued accepting animals and soliciting donations despite repeated citations and warnings. Prosecutors are seeking $914,500 bail, and if convicted, De Anda could face up to 24½ years in prison.
Dogs Confined Without Water, Animals Eating Fecal Matter
The conditions inside Rock 'N' Pawz were severe. Fox News reports that some animals were found eating their own fecal matter, and video evidence showed dogs doubled up in cages. KAKE reports that dogs bent kennel wire trying to escape—employees believed they were reaching for water. An accusation states De Anda deliberately kept water out of cages because spills would create more work.
35 Charges Include Animal Cruelty and Unlicensed Operations
De Anda faces 12 felony animal-cruelty counts, two felony grand-theft-of-labor counts, and 21 misdemeanor charges for animal care violations, code breaches, and operating an unlicensed kennel. Fox News reports prosecutors say she continued accepting animals and taking donations despite repeated warnings from authorities. LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the case showed a "fundamental failure of responsibility" from someone claiming to rescue animals.
Rescued Animals Receiving Care While Rescue's Future Uncertain
The 300 seized animals are now receiving medical and behavioral care from authorities. Fox News reports that Rock 'N' Pawz has launched a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $9,000 for De Anda's legal defense, with the organization warning that the case threatens its future. De Anda remains in custody as prosecutors seek the $914,500 bail amount.
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