CALIFORNIA -- After the City Council took away the license of a private animal shelter accused of keeping dogs in unhealthy conditions, the owner Pamela Miller (aka Pam Miller, Pamela Miller-Sackter, Pam Sackter, Pamela Sackter) has pledged to keep fighting.
The City Council late Tuesday refused a final appeal to reinstate the kennel license for Pamela Miller's Millerwood Animal Rescue & Sanctuary. The license was revoked July 1.
Burbank police started investigating Millerwood after former volunteers there complained that dogs were overcrowded and living in squalor. But police have been unable to get into the facility at Flower Street and Linden Avenue to inspect it.
Authorities say Millerwood has the capability to house about 85 dogs, but Miller admitted to the council that it now holds at least 120.
Voting 5-0 against reinstatement after an hourlong hearing Tuesday, council members said it was Miller's final appeal.
But the woman's lawyer said the decision to revoke was based on suspicions, not facts, and brought several witnesses to the hearing who testified that Miller's dogs are in good health.
"Suspicions are not grounds to revoke, it is not grounds to refuse to relicense," attorney Michael Duberchin said.
He said the battle over the facility isn't over yet.
"If the city wants litigation, the city will get litigation," Duberchin said.
Burbank police started investigating in December 1997 after volunteers came forward with stories of overcrowding, sick dogs, filthy conditions and not enough food.
After investigators determined that Miller is a "collector," who didn't have the capability to take care of her dogs and wasn't trying to adopt them out, they took the shelter owner to court to force her to allow inspectors in.
Burbank police said Miller "plays games" every time they try to inspect the facility, trying to put conditions on the judge's order to let authorities inspect the site.
"We have a court order giving us access to inspect. She's not letting us in," said Claudia Madrid, an animal control officer with the Burbank police who also testified at the hearing Tuesday.
Ultimately, the council praised Miller for her intentions, but declined to give her license back.
"You have far too many dogs, you have far too few resources," Councilman Ted McConkey said.
Madrid said the city had "watched the deterioration" at the shelter for several years. Miller opened the kennels in 1992.
The outside is like a fortress, with a 6-foot concrete fence and two padlocked metal gates barring entrance. There are no markings to identify the shelter, and three "No Trespassing" signs line a walkway leading to the front door.
Councilman Bob Kramer, who visited the site, wondered how the public can acquire the dogs when Miller works an outside job during the day.
"How are these dogs adopted if no one is here?" Kramer asked.
(LA Daily News - January 28, 1999)
