Police and Animal Humane Society officials seized more than 50 animals — 15 of them dead — from an animal rescue organization in Fridley late last month.
Police seize 39 live animals, and 15 dead cats and dogs, from Fridley animal rescue
Fridley police have been working since February to investigate Happy Tails Rescue, after a tip about animal mistreatment.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
June 5, 2024 at 3:44PM
On May 23, Fridley Police, Anoka County Sheriff deputies and the Animal Humane Society visited Happy Tails Rescue at 7331 Baker St. NE in Fridley. According to an inventory attached to a search warrant, officials took 25 dogs, 12 cats, one bird, and one guinea pig alive, along with two deceased dogs and 13 deceased cats. Law enforcement simultaneously searched a home in Oak Grove, and seized three dogs.
The Oak Grove house is owned by Laura Westphall, the director of the rescue, according to property records and the nonprofit’s most recent available 990 filing. Westphall could not immediately be reached after phone messages to numbers listed under her name, a call to the rescue and an email to the rescue.
Fridley Police and the Humane Society originally got a tip about possible animal mistreatment at the rescue in February, and have been interviewing employees and volunteers with the group since then, according to a news release from Fridley Lt. Kevin Titus. The investigation is open, and no charges have been filed.
The 42 live animals are now in the care of Animal Humane Society, but the group cannot yet release information on their conditions because they haven’t been legally transferred to the group, spokeswoman Sarah Bhimani wrote in an email.
The governor said it may be 2027 or 2028 by the time the market catches up to demand.
