Co-founder of ‘dangerous’ Portland pet rescue Woofin Palooza gets state probation, but federal prison time expected
The former co-owner of a dysfunctional Portland pet rescue organization that siphoned cash from customers and concealed the ailing condition of the animals up for adoption was sentenced Tuesday to five years of probation in state court.
Multnomah County Circuit Judge David Rees approved the plea deal after a deputy district attorney assured him that Woofin Palooza cofounder Torrence Head would spend years in federal prison as part of a related criminal case.
Head, 26, pleaded guilty to seven counts of second-degree animal neglect, as well as forgery and committing a computer crime. Authorities determined about half the cats and dogs at the center were ill during a police raid of the Northeast 82nd Avenue business in August 2020.
Woofin Palooza collected more than $100,000 in sham adoption fees and for spay and neuter fees that were never reimbursed, The Oregonian/OregonLive previously reported.
“It’s not just that they were being housed inappropriately, it’s not just that they were being exposed to infectious diseases and dangerous conditions,” said prosecutor Jacob Kamins. “What Torrence did was create (fake) rabies certificates for these animals — taking existing rabies certificates and altering the information on them.”
Samantha J. Miller, 59, the other co-founder of Woofin Palooza, faces 274 counts of animal neglect in an ongoing criminal case.
Miller and Head had previously operated All Terrier Rescue in Scappoose, which was shut down after they were banned from running a nonprofit as part of a civil settlement with the Oregon Department of Justice.
A few months later, the duo opened Woofin Palooza, which was run as a for-profit business.
As part of the plea deal in the Woofin Palooza case, Head is prohibited from possessing or caring for any animal for 15 years, but may lessen that time by going to therapy.
Federal prosecutors have agreed to seek a three-year prison sentence for Head, who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and dispensing misbranded animal drugs in U.S. District Court.
Four victims testified during the sentencing that they had spent thousands of dollars on emergency veterinary care after Woofin Palooza staff concealed serious medical and behavioral problems of the animals they adopted.
Nadia Grey described Woofin Palooza as smelling like “piss and fear” when she adopted a 1-year-old border collie she named Harlow in June 2020.
Rescue staff didn’t indicate that the dog had any medical problems, but Grey said she soon discovered Harlow was seriously ill and rushed her to an ICU, where vets diagnosed Harlow with distemper, a highly contagious and painful disease with no cure, though it can be prevented by a vaccine.
Harlow was euthanized three days later to end her suffering.
“You stole her life with cruelty and neglect,” Gray told Head. “And you tricked members of your community to pay for the sick and dying animals that you did not care about.”
Head appeared in court via a computer connection, with the camera turned off, and did not apologize to the victims.