Christine De Anda, 57, operator of the “Rock ‘N’ Pawz” rescue, is facing a potential 24 1/2-year prison sentence after being charged with 35 felonies and misdemeanors for allegedly subjecting approximately 300 animals to horrific neglect. Prosecutors accuse De Anda of leaving dogs, cats, a pig, a rabbit, a goose, and two goats to suffer in “inhumane and unsanitary conditions,” with charges including 12 felony counts of animal cruelty, two felony counts of grand theft of labor, and 21 misdemeanor charges for offenses like failure to provide care and operating an unlicensed kennel. The extensive charges follow a March 20, 2026, investigation where Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control (DACC) removed over 300 animals from the rescue, in what DACC Director Marcia Mayeda described as the department’s largest companion animal search warrant and rescue operation ever. Investigators found animals saturated in their own excrement, suffering from serious untreated illnesses and injuries, emaciated, and confined to small crates, with at least one cat discovered dead from starvation and dehydration. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman stated that De Anda continued to take in animals despite repeated citations and warnings, leaving them to endure prolonged suffering, and vowed to hold her accountable for these “inhumane actions.”
Adapted from: U.S. News Today on Fox News
