A Studio City organization once praised by Ellen DeGeneres as a rescue now faces a Los Angeles lawsuit alleging that it disguised commercial dog sales as adoptions. The city is seeking more than $7 million from Wagmor Pets, its chief executive and owner Melissa Bacelar, and two other organizations she controls.
City prosecutors allege that Bacelar obtained dogs from puppy mills and other breeders, then presented them to prospective owners as rescued animals. The lawsuit says the operation bought and resold hundreds or possibly thousands of dogs, with purported adoption fees reaching $1,500.
Those claims remain allegations. No ruling or final outcome has been reported, and Bacelar disputes the city’s account.
She has described the lawsuit as an attempt to cast her as a wrongdoer when she is trying to save dogs. Bacelar also says the case recycles claims that were previously litigated and dismissed. She has consistently denied buying dogs from breeders and maintains that dogs in need qualify as rescues.
What Los Angeles alleges
The city characterizes Wagmor’s alleged operation as an illegal commercial enterprise presented to the public as a nonprofit animal rescue. Prosecutors also accuse Bacelar of using misleading donation appeals, including photographs unrelated to the dogs described in some solicitations.
The lawsuit alleges that some dogs had serious health problems and died within days or weeks of purchase. Along with financial penalties, Los Angeles is asking for an order barring the defendants from fraudulent business practices.
The case follows a 2024 Los Angeles Times investigation into Wagmor’s sourcing practices. Customers had filed lawsuits accusing Bacelar of obtaining inexpensive dogs from breeders, misrepresenting them as rescues and charging high fees. Bacelar denied those accusations.
Missouri veterinary documents obtained by the newspaper identified Wagmor as the final destination for dozens of dogs purchased at Southwest Auction in Rocky Comfort, Missouri, where breeders offer dogs to bidders. Bacelar said she did not ask where dogs supplied through a Missouri rescue group originated.
“I’ve never given anybody permission to buy from an auction,” Bacelar said previously. She explained that she would accept dogs when another rescue group needed help placing them.
Wagmor gained national attention in 2019 after DeGeneres and her wife adopted a chocolate-brown poodle named Mrs. Wallis Browning through the organization. Wagmor later placed pets with Jennifer Aniston, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and other celebrities. Those connections are not evidence of wrongdoing, but they helped give the organization broad visibility before the current dispute.
What adopters can check before paying a fee
The allegations highlight a practical problem for adopters: the words “rescue” and “nonprofit” do not, by themselves, explain where a dog came from. California private rescue groups do not have to register with municipal shelters, according to the Times investigation, and they may choose whether to operate as nonprofits.
Tax-exempt status is also different from proof of a particular dog’s history. A Nonprofit Explorer profile based on IRS records lists Wagmor Pets as receiving federal tax exemption in February 2020 and provides access to available Form 990 filings. Such records can help an adopter examine an organization’s stated activities, finances and governance, but they do not establish how an individual animal was obtained.
Before committing to an adoption, prospective owners can ask the organization to identify the dog’s source in writing. Relevant questions include whether the animal came from a public shelter, an owner surrender, another rescue, a breeder or an auction, and whether money changed hands during the transfer.
Adopters can also request veterinary records before taking the dog home and compare names, dates and identifying details across the paperwork. If an organization cannot provide a clear history, that gap may be worth discussing directly before paying a fee or signing an agreement.
The contract deserves the same attention. Prospective adopters can review what it says about known medical conditions, returns, refunds and responsibility for veterinary expenses. They can also keep copies of advertisements, payment records, medical documents and written representations about the dog’s origin.
None of those steps determines whether the city will prove its case against Wagmor. They instead help adopters separate an organization’s legal or charitable status from its claims about a specific animal.
For people trying to keep their money from supporting commercial breeding, that distinction can be central to the decision. The Los Angeles lawsuit now places that concern before a court, while Wagmor and Bacelar continue to deny the allegations.
What would you do if your dog were in this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments.
By Sarah Mitchell — 8 years as a local-news reporter covering animal welfare, shelters, neighborhood disputes, and public-safety pet stories.
