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A 57-year-old woman faces dozens of animal abuse and code violation charges for the conditions of animals found at her Lake Hughes animal rescue, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on Friday.
Christine De Anda heads the nonprofit Rock 'N Pawz and earlier this year, authorities removed about 300 dogs and cats from her Lake Hughes property after neighbors complained of horrific conditions.
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control said that during its March raid at the property, it seized the largest number of cats and dogs in the department's history. In all, they recovered 233 dogs, 66 cats, one goose, a parrot, a pig, a rabbit, and two goats.
Hochman described conditions as "the opposite of a rescue operation," as dogs had allegedly even bent kennel wire while trying to escape to reach water.
Dogs were allegedly confined in small cages without food or water and kennels were stacked on top of each other, with sick dogs grouped in the kitchen.
LA County DACC had issued De Anda citations and warnings over several years concerning conditions at the property and the number of animals she was keeping.
" The documented conditions that they sa w on that day (in March) included severe matting, heart murmurs, cherry eye, untreated open wounds, exposed bone protruding from a leg, and urine and fecal scalding caused by prolonged confinement and contaminated enclosures," Hochman said.
Marcia Mayeda, director of LA County DACC, said rescue teams had to wear respirators to enter the animals' living areas because of extremely high ammonia content in the air, which also causes irritation and damage to the animals' respiratory systems.
"More than 300 animals came out of this situation needing care. They are now receiving it," Mayeda said.
"Our staff are working every day to help these animals recover physically and behaviorally.
Some will require considerable rehabilitation before they're ready for the next chapter of their lives." De Anda is charged with 12 felony counts of cruelty to an animal, two felony counts of grand theft labor and 21 misdemeanor counts, including violating multiple county codes.
She operated an animal kennel without required land-use approval, had unpermitted structures, and maintained unsanitary conditions. She is expected to appear in court sometime next week, and prosecutors will seek bail of over $900, 000.
If convicted as charged, De Anda faces up to 24 years in prison.
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