Melissa Bacelar, founder of the celebrity-favored dog rescue Wagmor, has been sued by Los Angeles prosecutors over an alleged “puppy laundering” scheme that sold breeder dogs as rescues.
Bacelar, who built Wagmor into a glamorous destination for Hollywood pet adoptions, stands accused of purchasing hundreds of purebred and designer puppies from commercial breeders nationwide and transporting them to California for resale disguised as rescue adoptions. The LA City Attorney’s Office filed its complaint on Oct. 22.
The operation cultivated high-profile clients including Jennifer Aniston, Ellen DeGeneres, Chrissy Teigen, and Kris Jenner, all of whom publicly promoted adopting “rescued” pets through the organization. Customers paid adoption fees ranging from $650 to $1,500 believing they were saving dogs in need, but prosecutors allege the money directly financed Wagmor’s commercial breeding operations.
LA City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto addressed the deception directly.
“Families who open their homes to rescue animals deserve honesty, not deception. We allege that the defendants exploited the compassion of many Angelenos for financial gain, while putting the welfare of vulnerable animals at risk,” Feldstein Soto said.
Bacelar allegedly employed aggressive fundraising tactics to solicit public donations, including manufactured claims of urgency. The complaint states she told donors that breeders would kill dogs, including by shooting them, unless Wagmor raised sufficient funds within a short period.
The legal filing also targets Wagmor’s continued representation of itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Both the IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board revoked Wagmor’s tax-exempt status in May 2025, yet the organization kept telling donors their contributions were tax-deductible, according to city prosecutors.
Beyond the financial allegations, the complaint accuses Bacelar and her employees of illegally administering rabies vaccines to animals without required supervision from a licensed veterinarian or Registered Veterinary Technician.
Wagmor and Bacelar also allegedly operated without pet shop and dog kennel permits at their Studio City facility. The organization conducted commercial “puppy parties” without securing an animal acts or exhibitions permit, prosecutors said.
City prosecutors are actively seeking additional information from the public, urging anyone who purchased a dog through Wagmor or has other knowledge about the organization to contact them at [email protected].
The case highlights how celebrity endorsements lent credibility to Wagmor’s operations, with stars’ public promotion of “rescued” pet adoptions helping build the organization’s reputation while the alleged scheme operated behind the scenes.
