The owner of a Southern California dog rescue has been charged with 37 criminal counts of mistreating the animals, nearly 100 of which were in such bad condition they had to be euthanized.
Dianne Bedford, owner of Woofy Acres in Pinon Hills, was arrested Aug. 7, a year after 114 dogs were seized from the property by San Bernardino County Animal Care.
County officials said the dogs, primarily large and aggressive pit bulls with severe health issues, were housed in “inadequate conditions” at the over-capacity kennel run by Woofy Acres. The animals were not provided adequate food, water or veterinary care, said a news release from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.
Because of their declining health and aggression, 93 dogs were euthanized, while most of the others were placed.
Bedford was charged with seven counts of felony cruelty to animals, nine counts of misdemeanor cruelty to an animal and 21 counts of failure to care for an animal. Bedford is free on $250,000 bail.
Lauren Cardona, co-founder of Saving Devore Dogs, called the news of Bedford’s arrest “amazing.”
“She was extremely neglectful. Some (of the dogs) were in awful shape; she left them to die,” Cardona said.
Woofy Acres first made headlines in early 2024 after Bedford was accused of abandoning 32 dogs — many from Orange County — at a Rowland Heights kennel in Los Angeles County.
Dog rescues typically take animals from shelters and find them homes with the public or house them in kennels until they can be placed. Woofy Acres was heavily used by Orange County Animal Care.
Orange County animal advocate Michael Mavrovouniotis said the Woofy Acres case illustrates the problem with government animal shelters relying too heavily on rescue operations to take animals.
“It’s the high-volume of transfers without any attention on the rescues,” Mavrovouniotis said. “Most rescues act responsibly and do their best to take care of their animals. This (case) is unusual, but it’s not unique.”
Orange County Animal Care has released a total of 149 dogs to Woofy Acres, with the last placement in January 2024. It is unclear whether any dogs from Orange County were among the dogs seized by authorities.
Bedford did not respond to an email seeking comment on the criminal charges. Woofy Acres’ nonprofit status with the state was listed as “active” on Friday, Aug. 15.
Bedford started the rescue in 2017 to “help reduce the suffering of shelter dogs and eliminate the risk of being euthanized by rescuing our furry friends and providing them a temporary home while awaiting a loving adoptive forever home,” according to her website at the time. “We strive to make finding your new family member a seamless process. We offer fostering and mentoring opportunities to individuals and families while they decide if adoption is the best choice for them.”
Woofy Acres Inc.’s IRS filing for 2024 shows the group operating that year nearly $2,000 in the red. The group reported collecting $55,946 — a sharp drop from $208,890 the previous year. Expenses in 2024 were $57,768. Bedford reported that she did not take a salary.