Our Cases
Some of our current and past cases include:
EARN and RALG
EARN and RALG continue to make progress in our pro bono case with the foundation, Stand Up for Pits. This very important case is gaining momentum and notoriety as the crisis for animals on Skid Row rages on. The opposing parties in this case are Los Angeles Animal Services, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Mayor Bass, The City of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles Animal Services Assistant General Manager of Field and Shelter Operations. The anguish our team faces in reviewing the content in this case can feel debilitating, but EARN and RALG remain committed to fighting for the animals suffering on Skid Row, and beyond.
We are proud to represent Partners in Animal Care & Compassion to help bring critical and urgent change for animals in San José.
Animals are suffocating after routine surgeries and are not receiving urgent medical attention. In addition, animals are being wrongfully killed in violation of the Hayden Act.
One tragic case was Rufus, pictured here, who died after a routine neuter procedure in December 2024.
We are demanding that the City of San José comply with its legal obligations to provide humane care to animals in the shelter and implement the recommendations in the audit that are long overdue.
EARN and RALG continue to receive an unprecedented number of requests for legal representation with animal control death row cases. Sweet pup Chon Hoi was recently impounded away from his home and family by animal control following an alleged first-time bite incident. Even worse, Chon Hoi’s canine brother, Prince Malo, also pictured here, was included in this designation despite having no involvement in the alleged incident.
Animal control deemed them “Dangerous,” and an administrative hearing was scheduled. Chon Hoi’s humans reached out to us and Attorney, Autumn Williams represented Chon Hoi, Prince Malo, and their family, and, we are thrilled to share, secured Chon Hoi’s return home!
As you can see, Prince Malo is very happy to have him home again!
Southern California Pit Bull Rescue
In our case with Southern California Pit Bull Rescue against Haven Pet Center and their CEO Jeff Sheppard, we are happy to share that we have a trial date and mediation set. As you may remember, we began this case in the fall of 2024, and are fighting in memory of Georgia, Cinnamon, and every other animal whose lives were lost at Haven Pet Center, formerly known as Ramona Humane Society. Our firm initiated a lawsuit to bring justice for Georgia, Cinnamon, and every other dog who was wrongfully killed at Haven Pet Center. The lawsuit includes claims for violations of the Hayden Act, the Public Records Act, and the Unfair Competition Law, and claims concerning Haven’s failure to keep proper records and failure to provide prompt and necessary veterinary care. We believe the Hayden Act was violated and we will continue to see this case through. Our team is ready for trial!
Critter
Critter is a beloved client and we are so thrilled to congratulate him on his doggy etiquette graduation. Critter was falsely accused of a bite allegation, detained, and his life was on the line.
Our team was successful in disproving this allegation and saving his life!
As you can see, Critter is living life to the fullest and enjoying his schooling while back home with his loving
Courtroom Advocate
Attorney Jill Ryther continues to advocate not only for animals in the court room but also in Sacramento. Jill appeared at the State Capitol Building in Sacramento to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee in support of Assembly Bill 2574.
This is a critical bill that would have established important due process protections across the state of California for dogs accused of bite allegations, which often sentence animals to death. Bills like this are necessary to protect canine companions and their families.
This is an issue near and dear to our hearts as we have seen firsthand, far too often, the tragic and life ending decisions that these dogs face at the hands of a very biased hearing process. We will keep speaking up until the law changes and our family companions receive the due process they deserve.
Conan
Conan’s case was one in which the City of Burbank sought to end the life of a dog named Conan for a single bite accusation, despite his calm demeanor and loving personality. After a nerve-wracking case that caught significant media attention, and received support from all over the world, the Court decided that Conan would live,
Conan’s case not only inspired countless people who have unfortunately also found their canine family members lives at risk due to a single accusation, but it also inspired lawmakers and politicians. Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) introduced AB 793, the Fairness to Dogs and Community Safety Act, cosponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation and the LA County Democrats for the Protection of Animals. The bill aligns CA law with six other states, including Delaware, New Jersey, and Ohio, by raising the level of proof required from the current “preponderance of the evidence” standard to “clear and convincing evidence” when deciding if a dog should be classified as dangerous or be euthanized if they cannot be reasonably and safely maintained through other means, such as required muzzling when in public, fencing, liability insurance, or other safety measures.
“The recent Burbank case involving Conan highlights the critical need for legislative measures and Jill continues to be on the front lines in advocating for this important legislation.
Nelson Grande and Sylvia Franco, Conan’s guardians said in a statement: “For the first time in the last 11 months, we will be able to look our boy in the eye and tell him that he is safe. We are so grateful that everyone has been able to see that one incident in eight years does not define him. In his name, we commit to changing what desperately needs to be changed in law.”
Tiger & Thor
Our client, a Veteran, came to us because his dogs, Tiger and Thor, were in danger of losing their lives to Animal Control.
Their offense was simply chasing after a horse, through a fence, a property at which the dogs used to live. The dogs did not harm the horse, and they did not cause injury to anyone during the incident where they escaped their yard.
Tiger was in animal control custody for 112 days.
Our client went to visit Tiger nearly every day, and spoke to him over a fence.
Attorney Autumn Williams led the charge, and worked tirelessly to get Tiger released.
Right before Christmas, we were able to reunite our client and his beloved dog.
We are happy to share that our client, and his two dogs, are all together, safe and sound.
Animal Rescue Mission
RALG is honored to represent the Animal Rescue Mission against The City of Corona as well as Corona Animal Services & Enforcement, with regard to a widely publicized incident involving three of Corona’s animal control officers and their cruel treatment of a stray dog who was calmly and non-aggressively roaming the Citrus Circle Apartments on January 15, 2026.
More specifically, there is video footage, reflecting Corona animal control officers forcefully removing the stray dog from the complex with multiple catch poles, dragging the poor dog who was crying out in distress and being choked; his body violently struck a fence while he was dragged. Blood poured onto the sidewalk, requiring the area to be hosed down after the incident.
The behavior by Corona animal control displays fear-based responses to animals, improper and excessive use of restraints, lack of fundamental knowledge of animal behavior, and inadequate training and supervision. To date, despite public outcry and demands, no accountability or corrective actions have been taken related to the January 15th incident.
With our client, we will not stop until immediate corrective actions are taken. We are thrilled, though, that our client saved this beautiful dog’s life, and he is being adopted by a wonderful family. There is not one ounce of aggression in this sweet pup!
Moselle v City of Modesto
Ivy and Owen, rescue dogs cared for by our clients and beloved by their entire family, were taken into custody after a minor incident with neighbors who provoked Ivy. As a result, both dogs were put on death row, despite only one of them even being involved.
We were retained after the initial hearing and immediately filed a Writ of Mandate. Our team worked tirelessly to resolve this matter in advance of the hearing, and we succeeded, securing their release with terms and conditions, and saving their lives.
Ivy and Owen were finally, after six months of confinement which resulted in a terrible condition of each dog, reunited with their family and brought back to health. They now live out of state with an incredible fenced in backyard where they can run and play all day before settling down for snuggles with their family.
We have particularly enjoyed the updates from our clients with videos and photos of these two precious companions living their very best lives, and we were honored to represent this family and to prevent these very deserving lives from being destroyed.
Recovery of Stolen Feline Companion
We routinely help families and individuals whose companion animals are taken from them, including this beautiful feline who was stolen from her guardian and is now home, safe and sound where she belongs.
Galeno et al. v. Lodi et al.
We had the honor of representing the Galeno family against the City of Lodi and related entities and individuals after their beloved friendly husky Enzo was tragically killed by Lodi police through use of a taser. We were truly appalled to learn of Enzo’s horrific death.
This case settled pre-litigation for an undisclosed sum. We have also been able to obtain information the family desired regarding individuals involved and changes and training in the City of Lodi to ensure that this does not happen again.
We were grateful for the opportunity to represent the Galeno family and be Enzo’s voice. He will never be forgotten, and we promise to continue to fight for canine and other animal companions like Enzo who are wrongfully killed.
This case has settled, and the joint statement issued by the Galeno family and Lodi can be found here.
Nguyen v. PetSmart, LLC et al.
Plaintiff’s family member, a previously healthy dog named Suri, died while in the care of a PetSmart hotel having been “found dead” despite PetSmart advertising that it provides “around-the-clock care”. Defendant advertises that “Guests will feel at home with the around-the-clock care of our pet-loving staff”, that it offers a “safe, clean…environment”, that “[t]he safety, health, and happiness of our customers, pets and associates are a top priority”, and that it provides “24/7 supervised care by trained professional associates” and “safe indoor accommodations”, and advises clients that “PetSmart will exercise reasonable judgment on the suitability of Services we provide to your Pet based on commercially reasonable standards and the information you disclose to us.” However, Plaintiff contends that the environment was not safe or clean, and there was clearly not 24/7 care if they “found” Suri dead. Moreover, Plaintiff believes PetSmart did not exercise reasonable judgment with respect to Plaintiff’s animals, resulting in Suri’s untimely death and injury to both Dee and Kai. Unfortunately, this is not the only case of dogs becoming seriously ill and/or dying while in or as a result of Defendant’s care. Ryther Law Group filed suit against PetSmart for the wrongful and unlawful death of Plaintiff’s beloved companion Suri and for the damages to her and her two other beloved dogs Dee and Kai, as well as claims for false advertising and unlawful business practices. This case has resolved.
Rubin et al. v. Mohawk Alley Animal Hospital et al.
Disco, a four-and-a-half-year-old terrier was seen at Mohawk Alley Animal Hospital for a dental cleaning and to possibly have one tooth extracted. While under anesthesia, Defendants pressured Plaintiffs into agreeing to another 15 teeth extracted, claiming six were baby teeth that had not fallen out. To this day, Disco has not grown any adult teeth to fill the voids left by those six alleged baby teeth. Worse, there was some sort of complication that was concealed by Defendants causing an infection in Disco’s tail, which ultimately led to the tail to the having to be amputated! Plaintiffs have confirmed that this is not the only injury of this exact nature to occur at Defendants’ facility – another dog also suffered from a tail injury after undergoing dental surgery. This case has resolved.
Barry v. Sehaj Grewal, DVM and The Melrose Vet
Plaintiff brought his young healthy dog Pip to Dr. Grewal for a routine neuter surgery. Plaintiff was unaware that Dr. Grewal was on probation with the California Veterinary Medical Board at the time. Tragically, Pip died a few days later. To make matters worse, prior to Pip’s tragic death, Plaintiff reached out to Dr. Grewal, and Dr. Grewal did not offer any assistance. Disturbingly, Dr. Grewal’s lead Veterinary Technician at the time has informed Plaintiff that she knew of “three other animals who died of complications that month alone.” Later, it was discovered that Dr. Grewal knew he had done the sutures improperly and lied to Plaintiff not wanting to admit his wrongdoing. Ryther Law Group has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Grewal and the Melrose Vet on behalf of Plaintiff seeking justice for Pip. Recently, this case resolved.
Mary Lou Rane v. Los Angeles Department of Animal Services
RLG filed a petition for writ of administrative mandamus on behalf of our client, Dr. Mary Lou Rane, for violations of her constitutional rights to due process. The writ was filed because the ruling, made by the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services, against Dr. Rane and her dog, Codie Bear, was based on an administrative hearing report containing many facts that were clearly inaccurate, false, or even nonexistent. The writ further alleges that exculpatory evidence was ignored and that a financially motivated complaining witness was given full credibility, while the only other eyewitnesses were considered non-credible despite no evidence to support that conclusion. The writ also includes Dr. Rane’s appeal to the Board of Commissioners, which was improperly held. The writ names the Department of Animal Services, the City of LA, and the Board of Commissioners as defendants. It was filed in LA Superior Court in February, 2021. Since the issues in Dr. Rane’s case can be found in many other animal control hearings and appeals, Ryther Law Group also sent a letter to all defendants, prior to filing suit, requesting changes to policies and procedures as settlement. After receiving no response, the writ was filed. The case settled and the designation against her dog, Codie Bear, as potentially dangerous was reversed.
Humane Hunting Legislation, Kauai
The conversation surrounding potential solutions to Hawaii’s wild and feral pig problem has always been a contentious one – the pigs are simultaneously considered an invasive species that causes environmental degradation, a direct link to the state’s history and culture, and a source of income, food, and entertainment. Because of the nonexistence of effective legislation pertaining to hunting pigs, insufficient funding for local environmental and animal rescue/rehabilitation organizations, and the lack of comprehensive and mandatory education for both hunters and enforcement officers, the overpopulation problem has manifested itself into both ineffective and inhumane hunting practices that are either widely accepted or ignored. We wrote a legislative proposal which was presented to a county council in Kauai, where our clients, who wish to remain anonymous, reside. While the bill was not introduced in 2022, we plan to work with our clients to propose the legislation again.
Chico Blue
On July 10, 2013, Chico Blue, the beloved canine companion of the Gonzalez family, was brutally shot and killed by law enforcement officers. Our client’s goal was to ensure that this would not happen to other animals. In addition to obtaining monetary compensation, EARN/RLG successfully obtained a settlement requiring law enforcement officers to undergo training on how to humanely handle encounters with dogs. EARN was invited to participate in a press conference in Washington, D.C., along with the Department of Justice, the National Canine Research Council, and Safe Humane Chicago to work together to make training accessible to law enforcement all over the country.
These are just a few of our active and past cases. In addition, we represent numerous clients in settlement negotiations and have assisted other clients with small claims appeals. A few of those cases include:
A case against a pharmaceutical company whose drug has caused our clients’ dog to suffer from horrible seizures.
A case against a boarding facility for negligent care that led to the death of our clients’ dog.
Cases against veterinarians for grossly negligent care leading to severe injuries to our clients’ animals.
Disputes over the custody of animals.
We are also proud to represent many local rescue groups, among other animal rights and welfare nonprofits.
