Riverside County kennel owner denied license after claims of animal cruelty

An animal boarding facility in Aguanga that catered to military families had its door shut after the owner was investigated for multiple animal cruelty cases.

The owner of Military Mutts Ranch, Charlotte Orrin, appealed the ruling to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and was denied. 

San Diego Navy wife Grace Turner said she was thrilled last month when she found Military Mutts Ranch because she needed to board her three dogs and it was a surprisingly affordable option. 

"I was so excited, and I thought I was blessed to have found that because, yeah, we don't get paid enough money," Turner said. 

However, when Turner went to go pick up her dogs, she was told that one of them had been stolen. 

"I actually found the listing that she posted that Saturday night of those puppies on Craigslist that she said were stolen," Turner told CBSLA. 

Heartbroken, Turner said she started researching the property and found deplorable conditions. In fact, the business had been on Riverside Animal Control's radar for several years. The business had multiple complaints, issues like failure to produce rabies documentation and two open animal cruelty cases, including one where a dog became maggot infested after the owner neglected it and another where a horse died from starvation. 

That's why Orrin's kennel permit was up for review, Riverside Animal Services had denied her. Orrin appealed to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. 

"I do not abuse and neglect animals. I do this because I care about our soldiers," Orrin said at the hearing. 

The board of supervisors voted unanimously to deny her appeal. 

"The effects are so overwhelming, Mrs. Orrin, that I cannot...I cannot support you in this," one supervisor said. 

Asked what her thoughts were about the decision and comments made that she was something of a monster to these animals, Orrin said the supervisors were lied to.

"They could say all they want. There's always another side. Those people have never really been to my kennel and all that stuff they were told were lies," she said. 

As for Turner, she said her dog was eventually found near the business days later, before getting sold for a profit, she believes. Turner added that she thinks the board of supervisors made the right decision. 

The animals currently at the kennel are being cared for by a nonprofit rescue organization in partnership with Riverside Animal Services until members of the military who are deployed return and can claim them.