The owner of a pet adoption center in Studio city is facing neglect charges after more than 60 dogs were seized from her home Friday night, officials said.
Animal Control officers took the dogs of a variety of breeds and sizes from the home of Rachel Kennedy, owner of Lucky Puppy Rescue & Retail at 11734 Ventura Boulevard, according to Brenda Barnette, general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services.
Officers said they took 65 dogs, many of them with medical conditions, for humane reasons. Los Angeles County code allows only three dogs per residence, officials said.
"Every single one of them are my babies," said Kennedy, who claims she took the dogs home to live with her because many of them are too sick and cannot be legally adopted by the public.
In a Facebook post, the pet adoption center said all of the dogs that were taken were "elderly, blind, deaf, cancer, and mommies left to die at the shelter with their babies."
Kennedy claims she spends about $200,000 a year to rescue and care for sick dogs who would otherwise be euthanized by the city. "There's something wrong in this system," said Kennedy. "Us as rescuers, we do this from the heart and they took my heart away."
Kennedy faces charges of illegal kennel and animal neglect, according to Barnette. Each dog was being examined and a health record was being created.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
While Kennedy says she has a permit for most of the dogs to live at Lucky Puppy Rescue & Retails, she knew she was breaking the law when she took them home. She said will visit the animals who are now at the Los Angeles City East Valley Animal Shelter.
Barnette said the seized dogs are in custody and unavailable for adoption, foster or transfer to a private adoption or rescue group.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the dogs were seized at Lucky Puppy Rescue & Retail. The dogs were taken from Rachel Kennedy's home in Studio City. The article has been updated.
