Puppy Mill - 39 pomeranians seized, 2 dead - Dana Point, CA

Friday, Dec 31, 2004

County: Orange

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» Mark Edward Bock
» Jeffrey Darrell Worley

Case Updates: 7 update(s) available

Two Orange County men face animal abuse charges stemming from what authorities called a puppy mill. The owners of Pearlie's House of Pomeranians face 50 misdemeanor counts of animal abuse and neglect. Mark Bock and Jeffrey Worley are accused of selling the puppies from their home and maintaining an illegal kennel in the residence.

Bock and Worley advertised the puppies for sale on their Web site. Prosecutors said at least three customers complained that puppies they purchased from the men had serious medical problems.

One buyer claimed to have paid $6,700 for a puppy. The buyer said the dog died within 10 days. She said she was threatened with legal action if she stopped payment of her check.

Another buyer said she paid $2,000 for a puppy. The dog began vomiting and had blood in its stool, the woman told authorities.

Last month, authorities said they found 39 Pomeranians suffering from respiratory ailments in an attic room. Two puppies were found dead in a freezer, authorities said.

The rescued puppies were brought to Coastal Animal Services Authority for treatment.

Case Updates

Mark Bock and Jeffrey Worley, former owners of Pearlie's house of Pomeranians, are once again selling puppies, this time under the business name of Ping Pong Poms (www.lovemypom.com). They are currently going by just their middle names, Edward (Mark Edward Bock) and Darrell (Jeffrey Darrell Worley), presumably so that potential customers are unable to discover their previous animal-related convictions. Both men pleaded guilty in early February 2006 to charges of neglecting the puppies, selling puppies that were not in good health, failing to file a tax return, operating as a seller without a permit and operating without a business permit. Ping Pong Poms kennel is reportedly based out of an address at 750 N. West 701, Center View, MO 64019. According to reports, the kennel is currently being run by Worley's sister, Jeanney Connelly. It is suspected that they may still be purchasing dogs from breeders across several states.

Update posted on Apr 24, 2006 - 3:04PM

Mark Bock, 37, and Jeffrey Worley, 38, were scheduled to stand trial on multiple misdemeanor counts on allegations that their former home business, Pearlie's House of Pomeranians, was a puppy mill. However, they pleaded guilty to five counts late Tuesday afternoon before Orange County Superior Court Judge Susanne Shaw, said Deputy District Attorney Scott Steiner. Shaw placed the men on three years informal probation, ordered them to perform 30 days of community service and pay restitution to purchasers who had to incur "significant" expenses, a center that nursed sick puppies to health and an amount ordered by the Franchise Tax Board, Steiner said. The amounts will be determined later, but the men face a year in jail if they do not complete the terms of probation, he said. The men now live outside Kansas City, Mo., where they operate a kennel, their attorney, Jeffrey Benice said earlier. He could not be reached for comment regarding their pleas. Steiner said the men can complete terms of probation there. The men pleaded guilty to charges of neglecting the puppies, selling puppies that were not in good health, failing to file a tax return, operating as a seller without a permit and operating without a business permit, Steiner said. The puppies were sold for between $800 and $8,000 each, he said. Bock and Worley were charged in February 2005 with 50 counts but prosecutors, before the two went to trial, added some felony charges. Shaw dismissed those felony counts during an earlier hearing. At least three of the dogs died, Steiner said. "We insisted that the defendants admit they neglected the animals and failed to provide them with care," Steiner said. "Also, that they sold sick animals to customers. They indicated a willingness to own up." Benice said earlier his clients bred Pomeranian puppies in a superb fashion, they maintained a clean, loving facility and that the charges are preposterous. The men earlier denied selling seriously ill animals or that the dogs were mistreated. The men waived all rights to the dogs that were seized by authorities and the healthy ones were put up for adoption.

Source: NBC News - Feb 8, 2006 Update posted on Feb 10, 2006 - 3:03PM

The two men have relocated to Missouri

Update posted on Nov 11, 2005 - 7:57PM

Mark Bock, 37, and Jeffrey Worley, 38, owners of Pearlie's House of Pomeranians, were scheduled Tuesday morning to go to trial in Newport Beach on 50 misdemeanor charges. Instead, they pleaded not guilty to charges in a new 60-count complaint that now includes 16 felony charges, said Deputy District Attorney Paul Chrisopoulos. The new charges include 14 felony animal cruelty counts and two felony tax evasion for alleged failure to pay state income tax on $484,000 in 2003 and 2004, Chrisopoulos said. The rest of the charges allege misdemeanor violations of the Dana Point Municipal Codes relating to such activities as conducting animal sales without a permit, the prosecutor said. Defense attorney Jeffrey Benice could not be reached for immediate comment on today's developments. The defendants -- who now live out of state -- remain free on $25,000 bail, according to Chrisopoulos. The men, who are due back in court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 16, earlier denied selling seriously ill animals or that the dogs were mistreated. Bock said the puppies were under 24-hour veterinarian care. Prosecutors claim the men operated an illegal kennel in their home, which was the base of operations for "Pearlie's House of Pomeranians." At least three people complained that puppies they purchased from the men had serious medical problems, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors also said 39 puppies were found in a secret room in the pair's attic in January, and two dead puppies were in the freezer. The puppies, which were all ill with respiratory and parasitic problems, were taken to the Coastal Animal Services Authority. Chrisopoulos said that after the animals were seized, another dog died during emergency treatment. "The felony animal neglect charges were based on the dead dogs that were found, including the one that died during treatment after the dogs were seized," Chrisopoulos said. Kennel operators are bound by specific rules on housing dogs, particularly allowing sick dogs to be near healthy ones. Bock said earlier that the two puppies were in the freezer because they were dead when they arrived at the home. The men waived all rights to the dogs and the healthy ones were put up for adoption. The men now face up to 13 years in prison, Chrisopoulos said.

Source: NBC4 - Nov 8, 2005 Update posted on Nov 8, 2005 - 6:43PM

The shelter stopped accepting applications for the puppies at noon Wednesday. Rick Gilliland general manager of Coastal Animal Services Authority, said the organization has received more than 2,500 online inquiries and telephone calls. "I estimate we will ultimately have over just 300 applications for the 35 puppies," he said in a statement. "We will begin reviewing the applications to determine the best possible home for the puppies."

Source: NBC Channel 4 - Feb 16, 2005 Update posted on Feb 20, 2005 - 9:17AM

Mark Bock and Worley agreed Monday to give up their remaining animals for adoption, authorities said. They also pleaded not guilty Monday in a Laguna Niguel courtroom. Their attorney, Jeffrey Benice, said Monday that the charges were false and that the animals became ill after leaving Bock and Worley's house. The pair agreed to relinquish 35 dogs for adoption. One of the animals died after being picked up, another belonged to the two men, a third to a veterinarian, and one had been sold before the search warrant, said Rick Gilliland, general manager of Coastal Animal Services Authority in San Clemente. The puppies were transferred to the San Clemente facility. They will be ready for adoption in a week, he said. Applications will be available at http://www.petprojectfoundation.org.

Source: LA Times - Feb 15, 2005 Update posted on Feb 15, 2005 - 10:49AM

Bock and Worley are free after posting $25,000 bail on animal abuse and neglect charges to which they pleaded innocent last week. Prosecutors claim the men operated an illegal kennel in their home, which was the base of operations for "Pearlie's House of Pomeranians." At least three people complained that puppies they purchased from the men had serious medical problems, according to prosecutors. Bock told the station, the two puppies were in the freezer because they were dead when they arrived at the home. "We have an in-house vet, and the vet has to dispose of them," Bock said. "Those are the instructions from our vet." CASA is still treating 37 puppies taken from the home and has spent more than $16,000 caring for the animals. The court is still deciding what to do with the surviving puppies. "It's taken all of our effort and energy for over two weeks now to get these dogs up to speed and well," Rick Gilliland of CASA ABC7 has learned. Anyone who purchased a puppy from the men is being asked to contact Jill Moran at CASA at (949) 361-6108. Susan Schroeder of the District Attorney's Office said Bock and Worley waived all property rights to the dogs in a court hearing today, meaning CASA will now begin the process of putting the animals up for adoption. Bock and Worley are due back in court on March 7 for a pretrial hearing. A trial date has not yet been set.

Source: KABC-TV - Feb 14, 2005 Update posted on Feb 14, 2005 - 8:03PM

References

• - Feb 14, 2005
• - Feb 16, 2005
• « CA State Animal Cruelty Map
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