(Sept. 24, 2021, 11:05 p.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has obtained documents from the City of Long Beach, released under the CA Public Records Act, showing that Long Beach Animal Care Services' Criminal Investigations Section concluded that two dogs owned by [CD 7 Councilman] Roberto Uranga and [former CD 7 Councilmember] Tonia Reyes Uranga "were maintained in such a way as to cause needless suffering."

In a Feb, 20, 2021 document titled "Request for Complaint" (on City of Long Beach, Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Marine, Animal Care Services Bureau letterhead), LB Animal Care Services Lt. Rebecca Johnson requested a complaint be filed alleging Mr. and Mrs. Uranga had violated CA Penal Code Section 597.1 "permitting animals to go without care" for each of the two dogs.

[CPC 597(a)(1) states in pertinent part: "Every owner, driver, or keeper of any animal who permits the animal to be in any building, enclosure, lane, street, square, or lot of any city, county, city and county, or judicial district without proper care and attention is guilty of a misdemeanor."]

The Urangas have denied any mistreatment or crimes occurred.

As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, the office of LA County District Attorney George Gascón applied a diversion policy adopted in 2017 under former DA Jackie Lacey that allowed the Urangas to avoid criminal prosecution by agreeing to certain terms (that included attending animal care classes which they completed.) The policy states that diversion should not be applied in cases of alleged animal cruelty unless it receives prior approval by a DA Animal Cruelty Case Coordinator and the Head Deputy or Deputy In Charge.

A narrative in the Request for Complaint by LBACS Lieutenant Johnson [text below with LBACS redactions and bracketed material by LBREPORT.com for clarity] says the Urangas had been clients of Joyful Paws Pet hotel boarding facility since 2015 during which its staff noticed both dogs had flea and tick infestations and unspecified "other conditions that concerned them."

[Feb, 20, 2021 LBACS Request for Complaint] On Sept, 10, 2021 during a recent visit Joyful Paws "staff were concerned about the conditions the dogs were in. As staff members were bathing the dogs, they noticed blood running off with the bath water. Staff sent photos of this to [redacted] the owner of Joyful Paws Pet Hotel, [redacted] called the defendants and discussed the condition their dogs and recommended that Ghost and Chloe be examined by a veterinarian.

On September 12, 2020 [redacted] stated that the defendants agreed to have the dogs examined by a veterinarian and said they were taken to California Veterinary Hospital [260 W, Victoria in Gardena.] After the dogs returned to Joyful Paws, the defendants decided to release ownership of Ghost and Chloe on September 13,2020. Later the same day (September 13, 2020) [redacted] of Fix Long Beach picked up the dogs and boarded them over night at the Family Vet Facility, located at 1749 Magnolia Ave. in Long Beach.

On September 14, 2020, [redacted] returned to The Family Vet and found Ghost dead in his kennel. [Redacted] called LBACS to report her concerns about the conditions of the dogs and that one of them was found dead. Animal Control Lieutenant Alfredo Magana responded to the location. Magana observed that both dogs appeared to have the tips of their ears chewed up, the ears appeared red and irritated, consistent with fly/bug bites. Magana stated that overall Chloe appeared to be of adequate weight and was able to walk without assistance. Ghost was deceased, lying in his kennel his abdomen appeared to be bloated.

Medical records [submitted plus a necropsy report for Ghost and medical exam for Chloe] performed by Dr. Natasha Wood DVM (staff veterinarian at LBACS) indicate that the dogs were maintained in such a way as to cause needless suffering.

Therefore, we are requesting a complaint be filed for violations of the above laws.

s/ Sincerely,
Rebecca Johnson, Lieutenant
Criminal Investigations Section
Animal Care Services Bureau

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