This post has been updated as of January 26, 2026 @ 7:30PM EST

This post will explain the ongoing legal case, “People v. Dianne Denise Bedford.”

Dianne Bedford runs Woofy Acres, a California-based nonprofit dog rescue. However, her critics would use the word “rescue” lightly.

 

SUMMARY OF THE CASE

• Dianne Bedford has been charged with 37 counts relating to animal cruelty. Read more about the counts in the next section.
• This case, People v. Dianne Denise Bedford, seeks justice for the 114 dogs seized from her property in 2024.
• “Of those 114 dogs, 93 were euthanized immediately due to the extent of their physical and behavioral deterioration. Four more died shortly after. Only 17 survived, and many continue to struggle with the trauma inflicted by what advocates describe as years of cruelty and neglect.”
• The newly assigned district attorney, Debbie Ploghaus, is refusing to prosecute the case to the fullest extent of the law.
• Take Action: See the bottom of this post for ways to contact (1) the District Attorney, (2) the California Board of Registered Nursing, and (3) the California Department of Justice (DOJ).

 

In July 2024, 114 dogs were seized from the Pinon Hills property associated with “Woofy Acres,” operated by Dianne Denise Bedford. All dogs were brought to the local Los Angeles County Shelter in Devore. Local reporting later tallied 97 dog deaths following the seizure. In August 2025, the San Bernardino County District Attorney filed 37 counts (7 felony animal-cruelty counts under PC 597(b), 9 misdemeanor counts under PC 597(b), and 21 counts of failure to care under PC 597.1(a)). Bedford was arrested on August 7, 2025, posted $250,000 bail, and was arraigned on September 23, 2025 (Case No. FVI25002174). Since then, prosecutors have indicated a plea posture that, according to court observers, could reduce felony exposure, prompting our request for a meeting before the next hearing on February 17, 2026, as guaranteed to victims under Marsy’s Law. On this page, we summarize the case, publish our email exchanges with the DA, explain what Marsy’s Law provides, and share concrete ways the public can help… urging outcomes that reflect the scale of harm: maintain felony counts where supported by evidence, keep a no-animals condition in place, and, upon conviction, pursue forfeiture/restitution (PC 597.1) and a meaningful post-conviction animal-ownership ban (PC 597.9).

 

 

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?

• July 2024: Authorities seized 114 dogs from a Piñon Hills property linked to “Woofy Acres,” operated by Dianne Denise Bedford. The criminal complaint references conduct “on or about July 18, 2024.” (San Bernardino County District Attorney)
• July 11, 2025: Charges filed by the San Bernardino County DA (later publicly announced): 7 felony 597(b), 9 misdemeanor 597(b), 21 counts 597.1(a). (Victor Valley News)
• Aug 7, 2025: Bedford arrested; $250,000 bail posted. (San Bernardino County District Attorney)
• Aug 13, 2025: DA press release announcing the filing/arrest and setting the arraignment. (San Bernardino County District Attorney)
• Sept 23, 2025: Arraignment held (Victorville, Dept. V10), Case FVI25002174. (San Bernardino County District Attorney)
• Reported toll: Local reporting (citing compiled kennel-card docs) tallies 97 dogs deceased after the 2024 seizure (93 euthanized shortly after intake; 4 died soon after). (Victor Valley News)
• Jan 6, 2026 (observer-reported): Pre-prelim hearing; discussion of a plea deal with a misdemeanor-only path, and/or release with conditions. Treat as tentative pending minute order; verify on the court portal. (instagram.com)
• Next setting (subject to change): Feb 17, 2026 — Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse. Verify via the San Bernardino Superior Court portal (search FVI25002174). (cap.sb-court.org)

 

For more background, see our prior posts:

• January 2026 update (summary + action items): Beezy’s Rescue 
• Arraignment & case update (Sept. 2025): Beezy’s Rescue

 

Track the case directly:
Search FVI25002174 on the San Bernardino Superior Court case lookup portal.

OUR EMAIL EXCHANGES WITH THE DA

We’ve been corresponding with the prosecutor’s office regarding charging posture, plea, and victims’ rights. You can read the full threads on our Instagram account, linked below.

• No change to plea posture. She will not change the current plea position. We have asked for clarification of what that position is.
• No pre-hearing meeting. She has indicated she is unavailable to meet before the next court date on February 17, 2026, and will meet only after the upcoming hearing.
• Conferral not granted. Our repeated requests to confer before any plea or pretrial disposition have not been scheduled.
• Victim status note. The prosecutor has stated that under Marsy’s Law, the animals are the direct victims; she has invited a general discussion about animal-cruelty issues after the hearing, which does nothing to find justice for Dianne’s 114 victims, 97 of whom are now dead.

Our position: We disagree with this approach. We are invoking the right to confer in good faith before any pretrial disposition and are requesting disclosure of the current plea terms and a brief conferral before the hearing. We will continue to press, respectfully and persistently, for outcomes that reflect the full scale of harm to the 114 dogs.

Screenshots of the email exchange are posted on our Instagram so the public can follow along, all linked below:

Instagram Post 1: We ask the public to email the DA
You can find the message we sent to the DA in our last blog post from January 2026.
Instagram Post 2: We post the DA’s reply to our email 
Instagram Post 3: We post our reply to the DA’s first message 
Instagram Post 4: We post the DA’s second reply
Instagram Post 5: We post the DA’s next reply, and our response

 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER MARSY’S LAW

• Marsy’s Law (California’s Victims’ Bill of Rights) amends the state constitution to grant victims specific rights, including the right to confer with the prosecuting agency in a reasonable manner and to be informed before any pretrial disposition (e.g., a plea).
• The DA, Debbie Ploghaus, has stated that only the animals are the direct victims. We agree the dogs are the direct victims; however, material witnesses and affected parties (e.g., rescuers who assisted, incurred costs, or possess relevant evidence) should be heard and consulted as the case proceeds. We will continue asserting these rights.
• If you were directly involved in this case, you should submit any written impact statements directly to the DA.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS CASE

We will fight for full, evidence-based accountability for the 114 dogs seized in 2024. We want outcomes that include appropriate charging, forfeiture, restitution/cost recovery, and meaningful animal-ownership bans where the law permits. We’re not going anywhere. We’ll keep pushing for felony-level accountability where the evidence supports it, for forfeiture and restitution where appropriate, and for long-term bans on animal ownership and care under California law. The dogs deserve nothing less.

Action #1 — Email the DA assigned to prosecute the case in 30 seconds

One-click email: CLICK HERE NOW TO SEND.
Don’t forget to update your name and location in the email signature.
This link works best on mobile devices. If this link does NOT work for you, please see the blog post link below to copy and paste the full email, then send it to yourself.

See our previous blog post for more on this action item.

Prefer to customize your email to the district attorney? See a draft email at the end of this post!

Action # 2 — Email the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) in 30 seconds

We are asking supporters to file a professional-conduct complaint to the BRN regarding Dianne Denise Bedford (NPF 15211 / RN 442931), requesting an investigation and, if warranted, interim restrictions pending case outcome. Use the link below to send a pre-drafted email NOW. The BRN’s complaint page is here.

EMAIL THE CALIFORNIA BOARD OF REGISTERED NURSING NOW

Prefer to use the BRN form instead? Start here: How to File a Complaint (BRN).

Action #3 — File a charity complaint with the California DOJ (Attorney General)

If you believe a California charity is misrepresenting activities or misusing funds, the AG’s Registry of Charities & Fundraisers takes complaints via Form CT-9 (“Charity Complaint Form”).

This is how you file a complaint with the California DOJ:

• Overview/Instructions: oag.ca.gov/charities/complaints (includes CT-9 form and directions).
• CT-9 (PDF): download, complete, and mail with any exhibits.
• To search (to reference the organization): oag.ca.gov/charities and the state Registry Search Tool.

What supporters should have ready to fill in CT-9:

• Organization name: Woofy Acres (aka any DBA used publicly)
• Location: Pinon Hills, California (or the most current address listed in the registry)
• Nature of complaint: concise facts, dates, and any documents/social posts/news showing representations versus outcomes
• Attachments: receipts, screenshots, public filings, kennel cards, case summaries, etc.
• Your contact info (the AG may follow up)

Note: Registry status labels can change; always check the live Registry Search Tool for the current listing before you submit.

 

FULL ACTION ITEM LIST

1. Email the DA NOW using the one-click link
2. Email the BRN (California Board of Registered Nursing) using the one-click button/link above.
3. File a CA DOJ charity complaint (Form CT-9) with any supporting documentation.
4. Share our Woofy Acres updates on Instagram and tag officials to make the public record undeniable.
5. Donate, foster, or volunteer with rescues caring for survivors and with shelters absorbing fallout from cruelty cases.
6. Stay respectful and factual. It helps protect cases from avoidable challenges and keeps the focus on outcomes for animals.

 

Copy-and-paste Email to the DA, Send Now!

EMAIL THE DA NOW WITH ONE-CLICK (CHANGE YOUR NAME AND CITY IN THE SIGNATURE OF THE EMAIL!)

To: da@sbcda.org, dploghaus@sbcda.org, dshim@sbcda.org, christy.hamrick@dph.sbcounty.gov
CC: publicaffairs@sbcda.org, justicefor114dogs@me.com
Subject: People v. Dianne Denise Bedford (FVI25002174) — Request Vigorous Prosecution and Justice for All 114 Dogs

Attn: District Attorney Jason Anderson; Prosecutor Debbie Ploghaus; Deputy District Attorney Daniel Shim; Captain Christy Hamrick

I am writing as a concerned community member regarding the case of People v. Dianne Bedford and the 114 dogs seized from her Pinon Hills property in July of 2024.

I am concerned by the indication to “disposition this case” on February 17, 2026, which was stated to the judge at Dianne’s January 6 court date. Not only is such a move an injustice to the 36 dogs represented in the 37 counts, but it is also an injustice to the dozens of victims, including 97 dogs who died at Devore Shelter as a direct result of conditions endured while in her “care,” without their suffering being reflected in this case. Moreover, such a move sets a dangerous precedent for future animal abusers in San Bernardino County, where there are a considerable number of boarding facilities for dogs in operation.

The conditions documented in the complaint and by rescues show severe cruelty:

• Dogs found emaciated, malnourished, and dehydrated

• Chronic stress, untreated medical issues, embedded collars, and sores

• Behavioral trauma so extreme that 93 dogs were euthanized immediately after evidence hold, and 4 more for medical reasons soon after, while many of those dogs were known at the shelters from which they were “rescued” by Dianne to not be classified as dangerous animals nor irremediably suffering.

The people urge you to:

• Reject any plea deal that would reduce accountability or imply that her willful actions toward 114 dogs are anything less than criminal.

• Pursue felony charges that reflect the full extent of cruelty and deaths

• Increase the counts to represent all victims, not just 36

• Seek the maximum sentencing allowed under California law

The people additionally urge you to weigh all evidence available to this case to support felony charges, including:

• Veterinary records for those rescued from Devore after being removed from her care

• Consider video evidence submitted to Officer Hamrick in July of 2025, clearly establishing that Dianne held at least one dog in a hotbox shed on her property the same week that charges were filed against her in this case

• Subpoena Woofy Acres’ IRS and state tax records and financial filings that will reflect a pattern of fraud related to donations to her nonprofit not going toward the care of the dogs

• Consider an additional civil case against Dianne Bedford related to abandoning 31 dogs at Shanderin Kennels that occurred in January 2024

The community is watching closely. These animals cannot speak for themselves, but we demand that their suffering be fully recognized and prosecuted.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City]

 

 

References

• DA Press Release (Aug. 13, 2025) — charges, arrest, bail, case number. (San Bernardino County District Attorney)
• Victor Valley News coverage — seizure details and reported deaths. (Victor Valley News)
• Marsy’s Law (Victims’ Bill of Rights): CA DOJ overview. (California DOJ)
• BRN complaint page (how to file). (California Board of Registered Nursing)
• CA DOJ Registry complaint page + CT-9 form. (California DOJ)
• SB County Public Records Portal + Court portals. (sanbernardinocounty.nextrequest.com