City of Los Angeles Sues Wagmor Pets Over Puppy Rescue Allegations
The lawsuit alleges the Studio City business purchased dogs from commercial breeders and sold them as rescues for prices far above state limits.
By Amelia Gupta ·
The City of Los Angeles filed a lawsuit against Wagmor Pets, a Studio City animal rescue that has attracted celebrity clients. The legal action accuses the organization of operating a puppy laundering scheme rather than a traditional rescue.
According to the complaint, the business purchased hundreds, and potentially thousands, of dogs from commercial breeders and puppy mills. The city alleges Wagmor then sold these animals to customers who believed they were adopting rescued pets.
City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office issued a press release detailing the claim. It stated that consumers sought to support rescues but were instead financially supporting the commercial breeding industry they wished to avoid.
Kim Sill, a board member for the animal rescue Shelter Hope Pet Shop, noted that she has received complaints about Wagmor for several years. Sill pointed to California law, which sets a legal limit of $500 for rescue dogs. She stated that Wagmor sold dogs for over $2,000 and manipulated financial records to disguise the destination of the funds.
The owner of Wagmor Pets denied the allegations, describing the lawsuit as a repeat of previous claims that were litigated and dismissed. She defended the business on social media, asserting that the accusations were false and promising to prove them wrong in court, similar to the previous legal proceeding.
