Pet rescuer goes to trial

Gary Moskowitz

MEDIA DISTRICT WEST -- Simone Wunscher found herself in utter

disbelief when she was handed citations from Burbank animal control

officers in June.

Wunscher, owner of Burbank’s Pet Mania -- a pet store located at 353

N. Pass Ave. -- has since written a letter of complaint to Burbank Police

Capt. Gordon Bowers and held a news conference Saturday to announce she

and her attorney, Robert Monson, will file a lawsuit against the Burbank

Animal Shelter.

“My hope is that the Burbank Animal Shelter should be investigated,”

Wunscher said. “There are things they have done to me that were

unnecessary, and I am now suing.”

Wunscher’s preliminary hearing took place at Burbank Superior Court on

Monday morning, during which she pleaded not guilty to several citations

of animal neglect. A trial has been scheduled for Aug. 23.

Wunscher has owned and operated Pet Mania since 1995 and has overseen

animal-rescue operations out of her store since opening its doors.

As captain of the special operations division of Burbank Police

Department, Bowers is responsible for the animal shelter.

Citations were issued to Wunscher on June 28 after two animal control

officers observed conditions they felt did not meet municipal code

regulations, Bowers said.

Officers reported that they observed the display of sick kittens and

cats needing medical treatment, six puppies being kept in too small of an

area, insufficient amounts of water available to puppies and rabbits and

caged dogs not receiving exercise, Bowers said.

It is policy to inspect all pet stores twice a year, and officers are

supposed to observe and take action when stores are not in compliance

with municipal codes, Bowers said.

Because of the citations, Wunscher said she might have to cease

animal-rescue operations at Pet Mania.

Bowers said the issue of the citations are what is at stake. He added

Wunscher has not been told to cease animal-rescue operations, and no

additional citations have been issued since.

“Obviously, I support dog rescue, but she has to follow the rules,”

Bowers said. “We have to look after the safety of the animals and can’t

allow exceptions to the law, regardless of good intent.”