Shelter Aide Offered Puppy Case Settlement

A Long Beach woman nabbed by the long paw of the law for snatching a puppy she feared would be killed by a shelter has been offered a deal by prosecutors: say sorry, pay $50 for dog tags and they’ll forget it.

But Rori Ann O’Neill, whose case has attracted national attention, said she has “been so bombarded by calls in support” that she has had little time to weigh the proposal.

O’Neill, 35, was accused of stealing the fluffy white dog from the Long Beach Animal Shelter when she worked there as a volunteer. She said she feared that the dog would be killed. She found a home for the puppy with neighbors, who offered to pay the dog fees. Shelter officials refused the payment on the grounds the dog was stolen.

Authorities say O’Neill’s heart was in the right place, but the law did not see things her way. Deputy City Prosecutor Ron George denied that his office’s deal was based on public pressure. “We are reasonable people,” he said. “We have tried to settle this thing.”