PHOENIX (AZFamily)— Puppy Luv, a Phoenix dog rescue near the Interstate 17 freeway and Deer Valley Road, recently received several complaints about unsanitary and unfit conditions for the animals.
The investigation comes after the Arizona Humane Society (AHS) said it received a tip.
Within a week period, AHS issued three notices of complaints against the rescue.
“The violations that we did observe while we were there were unclean, unsanitary kennels. Kennels that were too small for the animals, and we found unsecure water buckets,” said AHS director of field operations Tracey Miller.
Animal activist Samantha DiGiandomenico said she received a call from a friend eight months ago about the dog rescue.
She has been communicating with former employees for months and looking into the rescue.
“I mean, immediately your heart hurts. It’s just unconscionable for someone to be in a rescue and operate that way. It takes your mind a minute to process what’s happening. It’s one of those situations where it’s like, ‘Am I seeing what I’m seeing? How did it get this way?’” DiGiandomenico said.
AHS said they did call Phoenix police to assist with the investigation, but so far, no charges or citations have been issued.
An animal cruelty case has been filed, but AHS officials said right now, they have their hands tied until police decide they want to proceed.
“Unfortunately, we are at their hands right now as to whether they want to pursue this, whether on the patrol level or detective level,” said Miller.
Puppy Luv did provide a statement and said in part: “It’s important to clarify that the person making these accusations was a former employee who served as our cleaning manager. During a week when the owner was away rescuing dogs, the facility was regrettably left in a state of disarray, leading to her prompt dismissal. Now, she is sharing photos of dogs that were left in filth during her care, which unfortunately resulted in some of them getting sick … We have not been sighted by Phoenix PD or Mesa PD.”
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