Valley Roundup : Burbank : Dog Kennel Breeds Dueling Court Cases

Burbank has gone to court to get a woman who keeps more than a hundred dogs in two houses to either move or get rid of some of her canines.

But a Pasadena Municipal Court hearing on the matter Tuesday was halted when Pamela Miller, who runs the kennel, and animal rights activist Marge Weems filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Judge Phillip Argento and others.

The suit alleged, in part, that Argento improperly allowed a criminal prosecution of the defendant. Argento could not be reached for comment.

Miller, owner of Millerwood Animal Sanctuary and Rescue--a kennel for lost and abandoned dogs--keeps 112 pit bulls and pit bull mixes in two rented homes at 110-120 Linden Ave. in Burbank, Weems said. Juli Scott, Burbank’s chief assistant city attorney, said when animal control officers entered the kennel for routine inspections as required by law, they found dogs that were too closely confined.

“They were fighting, there were dogs with open sores, they didn’t have enough food,” Scott said.

As a result, when Miller reapplied for her kennel license this spring, the city denied it, Scott said.

Animal rights activist Weems said Miller cares for dogs no one wants.

“Her kennel is fine,” Weems said. “Her dogs are meaty and fine. A lot of these dogs will never go home. It is a sanctuary for the rest of their lives.”

Weems said Miller is concerned that the dogs will be confiscated and put to death if the kennel is closed.

Scott said the city is just trying to get Miller to obey the law, which requires a kennel license if more than three dogs are kept at one location.

“She has no kennel permit,” Scott said. “It’s a misdemeanor.”

Scott said if the dogs were taken away, animal control would try to find them homes.