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Case ID: 12093

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

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Pet store neglect - 85 animals seized
Santa Ana, CA (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Aug 17, 2007
County: Orange

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 3 files available

Defendants/Suspects:
» Shahram Behafarin
» Khosrow Behafarin

Case Updates: 4 update(s) available

Eighty-five animals were seized from a Santa Ana pet shop and its owner was cited on numerous counts of animal neglect, authorities said Tuesday.

Shahram Behafarin, owner of Village Pets near South Coast Plaza, was cited for operating the shop in substandard conditions without air conditioning.

Temperatures in some display cages ranged from 95 to 101 degrees, with unclean water and some animals seriously injured, near death or lying in their own urine and feces, officials said.

One display case at the front of the South Bristol Street shop was crammed with 50 puppies.

"We seized all animals that showed any signs of neglect but left reptiles and birds," said Jose Gonzalez, a spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department.

In all, he said, 56 dogs, six cats, 22 rabbits and a guinea pig were seized Aug 17 and taken to the city animal shelter.

"Many animals had no water or it was too dirty for them to drink," Gonzalez said. "Later examinations of the seized animals showed that they had scabies, protruding rectums, fevers, upper respiratory problems and many were very emaciated."

All of the animals were recovering, he said, and none were expected to be euthanized.

Behafarin, reached Tuesday at his shop, which is still open, attributed the incident to a misunderstanding.

"They came three times before," he said, "but didn't find anything. This time, out of [bad] luck, my air conditioner was broken. It was an accident -- accidents happen."

The animals were removed after several customers complained about the sale of sick and dying pets, Gonzalez said.

By Aug 21, he said, all of them had been bathed, vaccinated and given the appropriate medications.

He is also scheduled to appear in court on the misdemeanor citations in October. If convicted, Gonzalez said, Behafarin could face fines and up to a year in jail.

Case Updates

The owner of Village Pets and his son pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of animal neglect and sale of sick animals.

The 51-year-old pet store owner, Shahram Behafarin of Irvine, and his 23-year-old son, Khosrow Behafarin of Irvine, appeared in front of Superior Court Judge James M. Brooks and were ordered to close Village Pets at 3396 S. Bristol St. by Feb. 7 and to give up ownership of all their existing animals, said Deputy District Attorney James A. Young.

"We tried weekly inspections from October to December to give them a chance and see how they might do on probation, but the sickness problems started to return so closure became really the only option," said Prosecutor James Young.

The Behafarins also were put on probation for three years, ordered to perform 30 days of community service and to donate $500 to a local animal shelter or charity. In addition, the pair is also responsible for reimbursing the city nearly $100,000 for the seizure of animals and to reimburse known customers for all costs related to receiving sick pets, by April.

If the Behafarins violate any portion of their probation, they will serve 90 days in jail.

"The defendants are sorry that any sick animals were sold," said Daniel M. Smith, who represents the father. "They are sorry that the conditions did rise to the level of being unacceptable and now they wish to move on with their lives," Smith said.

In August, 56 dogs, 22 rabbits, six cats and one guinea pig were removed from the store by Santa Ana police Animal Services officers and taken to the Orange County Animal Services Center suffering from scabies, dehydration, respiratory infections and other health problems.

Source: OC Register - Jan 18, 2008
Update posted on Jan 19, 2008 - 1:43PM

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The owner of Village Pets and his son have been ordered not to sell canines out of their store, home or on the Internet, authorities said today.

The 51-year-old pet store owner, Shahram Behafarin of Irvine and his 23-year-old son, Khosrow Behafarin of Irvine appeared in court last week to face new charges stemming from weekly inspections of the pet store that revealed sick puppies were being offered for sale, said Deputy District Attorney James A. Young

A $5,000 arrest warrant was issued for each of the Behafarins on Dec. 20 and they were each charged with one count of misdemeanor animal neglect and failure to provide care to pet shop animals.

The next day, father and son appeared in court and were ordered not to sell canines.

Young says the judge gave them a choice. "To spend Christmas in jail or not to sell canines," he said.

The decision will be reviewed again when the Behafarins return to court Jan. 14 for a pretrial hearing at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

"They have to recognize the symptoms of animals that are sick and then isolate them," Young said. "I don't think that they get it and that's part of the problem."

Two puppies � a long hair and a short hair Chihuahua � displayed in the front of the store along with about 25 other puppies were diagnosed with scabies, Young said. The discovery prompted authorities to file additional charges against the pair.

In August -- 56 dogs, 22 rabbits, six cats and one guinea pig -- were removed from the store and taken to the Orange County Animal Services Center suffering from scabies, dehydration, respiratory infections and other health problems.

The Behafarins were charged in October with abusing, neglecting and failing to care for 85 animals in their unsanitary store at 3396 S. Bristol St., authorities said. Two of the dogs were euthanized, authorities said.

Shahram Behafarin is charged with misdemeanors for one count of animal abuse by a caretaker, two counts of animal neglect and four counts of failure to provide care to pet shop animals.

His son, Khosrow Behafarin, is charged with misdemeanors for three counts of failure to provide care to pet shop animals and one count of animal neglect. Khosrow Behafarin worked at the store with his father.

Young said weekly inspections at the pet shop will continue.

"The shop is cleaner then it was before but we are still finding sick animals," Young said.

Source: OC Register - Dec 28, 2007
Update posted on Dec 28, 2007 - 8:17PM

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The owner of Village Pets and his son were charged Wednesday for abusing, neglecting, and failing to care for 85 animals including puppies, kittens, and bunnies in their unsanitary store, authorities said.

The 51-year-old pet store owner, Shahram Behafarin of Irvine, is charged with misdemeanors for one count of animal abuse by a caretaker, two counts of animal neglect, and four counts of failure to provide care to pet shop animals.

"He is not being charged for individual animals but he is being charged for failing to take care of pets that were in his pet shop, said Farrah Emami of the District Attorney's Office.

His son, Khosrow Behafarin, 23, of Irvine, is charged with misdemeanors for three counts of failure to provide care to pet shop animals and one count of animal neglect. Khosrow Behafarin worked at the store with his father.

The Behafarins, who were operating the pet shop without a business license, are accused of selling sick pets to unknowing customers, two of whom became infected with scabies after contracting it from their new puppy.

The Behafarins are scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 25 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

If convicted on all counts, Shahram Behafarin faces a maximum of eighteen months in jail and up to $23,000 in fines and Khosrow Behafarin faces one year and up to $3,000 in fines.

"We've had other cases of animal abuse and animal neglect and it's something that we take seriously, Emami said.

The animals � 56 dogs, 22rabbits, six cats and one guinea pig � were removed from the store in August after the Santa Ana Police Department received complaints that Village Pets at 3396 S. Bristol St. was keeping their animals in inhumane and deplorable conditions.

During an administrative hearing in August, the seizure was determined to be legal given deplorable conditions they were found in, said Cpl. Jose Gonzalez of the Santa Ana Police Department.

About 50 puppies had been crammed in a Plexiglass display case in front of the store. The shop's air-conditioning system had been broken for two days, with temperatures ranging from 94 to 101 degrees in some display cages, Gonzalez said.

The officers discovered several kennels were overcrowded, did not have clean water and were littered with urine and feces, Gonzalez said.

The animals were taken to the Orange County Animal Services Center suffering from scabies, dehydration, respiratory infections and other health problems.

Five of the puppies were euthanized at the shelter.

The shelter adopted out the rest of the animals in September, with the exception of a few that were still too sick.

The Behafarins also face restitution to the county for the cost of caring for the pets.

In addition to his troubles in Santa Ana, Behafarin has also faced trouble in Irvine. In November 2006, Behafarin pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failing to have the permit required to operate a private kennel in Irvine and was sentenced to a year of probation, according to documents filed at Orange County Superior Court.

Source: OC Register - Oct 18, 2007
Update posted on Oct 20, 2007 - 9:10PM

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A pet store owner will have a hearing Thursday after being cited with 85 misdemeanor counts of animal neglect after officers said they found dogs, cats and rabbits kept in inhumane conditions.

Police received several calls reporting the sale of sick and dying animals at Village Pets at 3396 S. Bristol St., said Santa Ana police Cpl. Jose Gonzalez.

Police and animal services officers Friday found 56 dogs, 22 rabbits, six cats and one guinea pig suffering from conditions such as scabies, dehydration and respiratory infections.

Gonzalez said about 50 puppies had been crammed into a plexiglass display case in front of the store and that the store's air-conditioning system had been broken for two days with temperatures ranging from 94 to 101 degrees within some display cages.

The 51-year-old owner, Shahram Behafarin, is scheduled to appear for an administrative hearing Thursday at the Santa Ana Police Department.

The hearing, conducted through a mediator, will be held to determine if Behafarin will be able to recover the animals and to determine if the animals were removed legitimately, Gonzalez said.

In October, Behafarin is scheduled to appear for a hearing at Central Justice Center in Santa Ana to face the 85 misdemeanor counts of animal neglect.

Source: OC Register - Aug 23, 2007
Update posted on Aug 23, 2007 - 2:21PM

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Pet store neglect - 85 animals seizedSanta Ana, CA (US)

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Pet store neglect - 85 animals seized
Santa Ana, CA (US)