Community Corner
Man, Who Sold Dying Puppies Across LA, Must Pay $200K Restitution
A 27-year-old Downey man pleaded guilty to selling dozens of sick puppies to unsuspecting people.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A Downey man who sold sick puppies to dozens of unsuspecting families agreed to pay $203,000 in restitution to his 63 victims and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Most of the puppies died soon after the families took them in. As part of the plea deal, 27-year-old Gustavo Gonzalez is also barred from owning animals or being around them for 10 years. He agreed to undergo counseling for animal cruelty as well. He was also sentenced to a year on probation and 87 days in jail on top of the two years he already spent in custody. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of selling live animals on the street.
"The pets that we bring into our homes become a beloved part of our family. Trying to sell sick puppies to unsuspecting people is just plain wrong," District Attorney George Gascon said. "That's why it's so important to use established animal shelters or pet adoption agencies so that we avoid becoming victims and also help end the market for unscrupulous illegal dog breeders."
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According to the district attorney's office, Gonzalez sold sick puppies to families throughout Southern California between February 2018 and April 2019.
He was arrested in June 2019 following an investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, spcaLA, the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation and the Downey Police Department.
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Madeline Bernstein, president of the spcaLA, added, "The world is full of people who will prey on others for money. In this case, it is at the expense of the suffering of helpless puppies and heartbroken families left with nothing but veterinary bills."
"I am glad he is required to pay restitution to his human victims, but let us not create a demand for these `sick puppy peddlers' by buying dogs from the internet and social media," she said.
City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.
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