Challenging a California Puppy Mill for Violating State and Local Laws

In 2017, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit against the owner of California Carolina Dogs for operating an illegal puppy mill.

California Carolina Dogs is owned and operated in a residential neighborhood in Vallejo, California. The property, which has held as many as 50 dogs according to animal control reports, has generated numerous complaints of strong odors, flies, dog bites, unsanitary breeding conditions, and dogs running at large.

Our lawsuit, filed in Superior Court for the State of California in Solano County, asks the court to shut down the puppy mill because California Carolina Dogs breeds dogs in violation of state law and local ordinances. The Animal Legal Defense Fund brought the lawsuit under California Corporations Code section 10404 which gives standing to corporations for the prevention of cruelty to animals to enjoin the violation of laws relating to animals.

In May 2018, the court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund a preliminary injunction that barred California Carolina Dogs from “owning, driving, keeping, possessing or having charge or custody of any dog until a final determination is reached” in the case.