I want to address the recent article by the Press Democrat and the ongoing situation involving my rescue. Many people have reached out with questions, and I believe transparency is important.
The last article in the press democrat presents only one side of the story. It does not explain that many of the dogs I rescue come from high‑kill shelters and often arrive sick or underweight. Conditions like giardia and worms are extremely common in shelter dogs and are part of why rescues exist.
The photos described in the article were taken before morning cleaning. Anyone who has worked in rescue or sheltering knows that messes happen overnight. This does not reflect the overall care or daily conditions the dogs receive.
I provided veterinary records, receipts, witnesses, and a relocation plan at the hearing, but much of that information was not included in the article.
I also want to be clear: I have always been willing to surrender dogs if there is a written guarantee they will be adopted out and not euthanized. My priority has always been saving lives.
I am appealing the decision and will continue to fight for the truth to come out. I am grateful for everyone who has supported me, volunteered with me, and seen firsthand the love and effort that goes into this rescue.
For years, I have stayed focused on my rescue work, my animals, and the truth. But at this point, the pattern of actions taken by North Bay Animal Services (NBAS) and those connected to them is no longer just about me or my organization. What has happened and continues to happen represents a danger to every rescue, every foster, every adopter, and every member of the public who believes in transparency, accountability, and humane treatment of animals.
This is my account of what I have personally experienced.
Interference With Veterinary Care
One of the most alarming events was when local veterinarians told me directly that they had been instructed not to provide medical care to my animals while NBAS was “investigating” me.
A puppy who needed immediate treatment was turned away because a shelter agency told a hospital not to help. That puppy died.
No rescue, no pet owner, no human being should ever be denied veterinary care because a government‑contracted shelter wants control over a narrative.
This is not animal welfare. This is obstruction of care.
Dogs Taken Only to Be Sent Back to Overcrowded Shelters
NBAS seized dogs from my rescue under the claim that they were “protecting” them. But instead of providing safety, many of those dogs were immediately transferred to the same overcrowded municipal shelters they originally came from shelters that had already placed them on euthanasia lists due to lack of space.
Most of those dogs did not survive.
They were not “rescued.” They were rerouted back into the system that had already decided their fate.
This is not protection. This is a pipeline to death.
- Retaliation for Speaking Out
Long before any of this happened, I raised concerns about NBAS’s practices including transparency issues, inconsistent care standards, and failures to provide legally required emergency services.
After I spoke out publicly, the pattern shifted:
sudden inspections
escalating accusations
refusal of veterinary care
seizure of animals
attempts to discredit my rescue
attempts to silence me
This is not coincidence.
This is retaliation.
And retaliation from an agency with police authority over animals is not just unethical it is dangerous.
4. Attempts to Cover Up Wrongdoing
Every time I have brought forward evidence, records, witnesses, or documentation, the response has been the same: ignore, dismiss, or bury it.
Instead of addressing legitimate concerns, NBAS has tried to rewrite the narrative, hide their own failures, and frame me as the problem for daring to question them.
But the truth is simple:
If an agency is confident in its practices, it does not need to silence critics. If an agency is operating ethically, it does not fear transparency. If an agency is protecting animals, it does not block veterinary care or send dogs to die.
5. Why This Matters for Everyone
This is not just about my rescue.
If a shelter can:
- deny veterinary care
- seize animals without due process
- retaliate against whistleblowers
- send dogs to overcrowded kill shelters
- silence anyone who questions them
…then no rescue, no foster, no adopter, and no community member is safe from the same treatment.
Animal welfare only works when there is oversight, accountability, and truth. When those disappear, animals suffer and so do the people trying to save them.
the day nbas took papa
in north bay animal services care
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6. My Commitment Moving Forward
I will continue to:
- document everything
- speak the truth
- advocate for the animals who cannot speak for themselves
- push for transparency and reform
- protect my rescue, my volunteers, and the animals in our care
I will not be intimidated into silence. I will not stop fighting for ethical, humane, and accountable animal welfare practices.
This is bigger than me. This is about every life that depends on a system that must do better.
A Message to Our Supporters and Donors
To everyone who has stood with us, fostered, adopted, donated, volunteered, or simply believed in the work we do this message is for you.
Our rescue has always operated on one core principle: every life matters. We have built our mission on transparency, compassion, and a commitment to stepping in where the system fails. Recently, however, we have faced a series of actions from North Bay Animal Services (NBAS) that threaten not only our work, but the safety of animals and the rights of every rescue and community member who advocates for humane care.
I want you to understand what has happened, why it matters, and why your support is more important than ever.
What We Experienced
Interference With Veterinary Care
During a period when NBAS was “investigating” us, local veterinarians informed me that they had been told not to provide medical treatment to our animals. A puppy who needed urgent care was turned away. That puppy did not survive.
No organization should ever have the power to block lifesaving treatment for any animal.
Dogs Taken Only to Be Sent Back Into Harm’s Way
NBAS seized dogs from our rescue under the claim of “protecting” them. Instead of ensuring their safety, many were transferred back to the same overcrowded municipal shelters they originally came from shelters that had already placed them on euthanasia lists.
Most of those dogs did not make it out alive.
This is not animal welfare. This is a system failure.
Retaliation for Speaking Out
Long before any of this happened, I raised concerns about NBAS’s practices including transparency issues, inconsistent care standards, and failures to provide emergency services.
After speaking up, the pattern changed:
- sudden inspections
- escalating accusations
- refusal of veterinary care
- seizure of animals
- attempts to discredit our rescue
- pressure to stay silent
This is not accountability. This is retaliation against whistleblowing.
Attempts to Hide Misconduct
Every time we provided documentation, veterinary records, witness statements, or evidence of wrongdoing, it was ignored or dismissed. Instead of addressing legitimate concerns, NBAS attempted to shift blame, rewrite events, and silence criticism.
A healthy, ethical system welcomes transparency. A broken one tries to bury it.
Why This Matters to You and to Every Animal Lover
This situation is not just about our rescue. It exposes a larger problem:
If a shelter agency can:
- deny veterinary care
- retaliate against rescues
- seize animals without due process
- send dogs back to overcrowded kill shelters
- silence anyone who questions them
…then every rescue, every donor, every volunteer, and every animal is at risk.
Your support fuels a mission that stands against exactly this kind of behavior. You help us protect animals who would otherwise be forgotten and you help us defend the right to rescue without fear of retaliation.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
Despite everything, our mission remains unchanged:
- We will continue saving lives.
- We will continue advocating for transparency and humane practices.
- We will continue documenting and reporting misconduct.
- We will continue standing up for the animals who cannot speak for themselves.
Your support makes this possible. Your belief in our work gives us strength. Your partnership ensures that no one can silence the truth.
Thank You for Standing With Us
Every donation, every share, every kind message, every volunteer hour it all matters. It all saves lives. And in moments like this, it also protects the future of ethical rescue work. But right now, we are not asking that you donate we asking that you stand up for the truth stand up for what is right and stand with us.
What is happening to us and to our rescue can and WILL happen to others the ones that speak up the ones that fight for the truth the time to act is now by standing together to stand for what we believe in is the only way we will succeed. this is not just a case this is our opportunity to make change nokill and shelter reform is so close please do not continue to be led astray see things as they are truly are and fight for what is right!
