The Los Angeles city attorney’s office has filed a lawsuit against a prominent animal rescue organization once favored by Hollywood celebrities, alleging that its owner purchased dogs from commercial breeders and resold them to unsuspecting adopters under the guise of rescue animals.
According to the lawsuit filed last week, Melissa Bacelar, the chief executive and owner of Wagmor Pets in Studio City, bought and resold hundreds if not thousands of dogs acquired from commercial breeders. Prosecutors state that the organization charged customers up to $1,500 in adoption fees while operating an illegal commercial enterprise disguised as a nonprofit rescue.
The complaint further alleges that some of the animals sold through the organization suffered from serious health problems and died within days or weeks of purchase. City prosecutors contend that consumers who believed they were providing homes for rescued animals inadvertently became financial supporters of the commercial breeding industry they intended to avoid.
The legal action asks the court to bar Wagmor, Bacelar, and two other organizations controlled by her from engaging in fraudulent business practices. Additionally, the lawsuit seeks more than $7 million in civil fines for violations of city and state laws.
Bacelar has strongly disputed the accusations, characterizing the lawsuit as a money grab featuring recycled claims that were previously litigated and dismissed. She questioned the allocation of city resources toward her prosecution at a time when the state faces a broader crisis of unwanted stray animals.
The lawsuit follows prior investigative reporting regarding Bacelar’s operation, which also prompted separate civil lawsuits from customers alleging she purchased low-cost dogs from breeders, misrepresented them as rescues, and collected high fees. Veterinary documents obtained from the state of Missouri previously indicated that Wagmor was listed as the final destination for dozens of dogs acquired at Southwest Auction in Rocky Comfort, Missouri, where breeders sell animals to bidders.
Throughout the controversy, regulatory oversight of private rescue groups in California has faced scrutiny, particularly as municipal shelters remain overcrowded with animals. Bacelar has previously maintained that all dogs she accepts qualify as rescues because they are animals in need. While acknowledging that she worked with a rescue group in Missouri, she stated that she did not inquire about the specific origin of the animals, maintaining that she never authorized anyone to purchase dogs from auctions but would accept animals that rescue groups needed to place.
Wagmor gained widespread public recognition in 2019 after being featured on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show. After the comedian and her wife adopted a chocolate-brown poodle named Mrs. Wallis Browning and praised the organization on air, Wagmor subsequently placed pets with high-profile figures including Jennifer Aniston and Dwayne Johnson.
In addition to the allegations regarding animal sourcing, city prosecutors claimed that Bacelar used misleading appeals to solicit donations, frequently utilizing photographs of dogs that did not match the animals described in fundraising solicitations.
