Virginia Animal Owners Alliance

25/09/2025

"A Rockbridge County judge has ordered the manager of the Natural Bridge Zoo to turn over two missing baby giraffes by Oct. 29 or face 100 days in jail.

In the course of the civil proceedings that led to that ruling Wednesday, it was also revealed that a grand jury has been empaneled to hear testimony in a possible criminal case regarding the zoo and the Mogensen family that has operated it. Michelle Welch, the senior assistant attorney general who is leading the state’s investigation, referred to this as a 'multijurisdictional grand jury,' but the attorney general’s office declined to provide further information."

Circuit Judge Christopher Russell found Gretchen Mogensen in contempt of court for failing to notify the state that the giraffes had been born.

23/09/2025

Why would a prosecutor use a Brady Listed law enforcement officer as the sole investigator and affiant for a search warrant? Could it be because there was no probable cause for the issuance of that search warrant without lies and half truths?

Jason Miyares’ Animal Law Unit sought out the services of Powhatan Deputy Christine Boczar to conduct an “undercover” investigation into the Natural Bridge Zoo and later secure a search warrant. This despite the fact that in 2012, a Federal Court found Boczar had lied to a magistrate to secure an arrest warrant and stripped her of qualified immunity. Boczar had sworn under oath that Eileen McAfee refused to tell her the location of a dog who had bit her when in fact McAfee had told her she didn’t know the address, but she could take Boczar to the location. The criminal case charging McAfee with refusing to disclose the location of a possibly rabid dog was quickly dismissed and McAfee subsequently successfully sued Boczar for civil rights violations. This finding was upheld by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2013. (Eileen McAfee v. Christine M. Boczar)

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/12-2481/12-2481-2013-12-12.html

Boczar visited the zoo on two separate occasions and wrote detailed reports about each visit. The problem arises when you compare her sworn affidavit to her investigative reports. Jason Miyares’ office had these reports, yet they barreled forward with a search warrant full of omissions and half truths.

For example, within her sworn affidavit presented to a Circuit Court Judge is this damning evidence of cruel treatment of an African Crested Porcupine: On October 25, 2023 The African Crested Porcupine’s shelter / cave was blocked causing the porcupine to pace back and forth walking into the bars trying to access its enclosure. On November 4, 2023, The African Porcupine was again pacing and walking into the bars trying to get into the closed off enclosure.

Now compare the above to her actual investigation report:
October 23, 2023: African Crested Porcupine – This enclosure was a nice enclosure with porcupines, they had fresh food and water. The sign on the outside states “There are animals in this enclosure currently receiving special treatment for a health / medical condition. She is on a special diet and the others take her food which is why she is separate.” There was a cage / cave that had the entrance blocked with bars. The other porcupine was walking back and forth into the bars trying to get into the enclosure.

November 4, 2023: African Crested Porcupine – This enclosure was a nice enclosure. The porcupines had fresh food and water. The sign on the outside states “There are animals in this enclosure currently receiving special treatment for a health / medical condition. She is on a special diet and the others take her food which is why she’s separate.” There was a cage / cave that had the entrance blocked with bars. The other porcupine was walking back and forth into the bars trying to get into the enclosure. I could see three porcupines in this cage. The rest is the same as last visit.

The truth is, there was nothing illegal about the porcupine enclosure. Boczar blatantly lied to the Judge by omitting pertinent information. Her entire affidavit is full of half truths and lies. Had she presented her investigative reports to the judge, a search warrant would never have been issued.

It is time for a thorough investigation into the corruption of the Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit and the crimes they have committed.

ABC 13 - WSET WSLS 10 / WSLS.com WDBJ7 WFXR News Cardinal News Augusta Free Press LLC The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va

16/09/2025

The Rockbridge Advocate has published a front-page article in its September issue with the headline, "What killed Valentine on her way to Georgia?" You can purchase a copy locally for $4.00.

If you read the newspaper, you will see statements from the Attorney General's Animal Law Unit investigator Amy Taylor and Senior Advisor Shaun Kenney. According to the article, state officials are saying there was "no sign of Banamine" in Valentine after her death. There are multiple statements about the Mogensen family that portray them in a very negative light. Remember, the Mogensens still have not been charged with any crimes. It is apparent this media effort by the Attorney General's Office is meant to tarnish their reputation and lessen their chances of a fair trial by jury in a criminal trial. Their case has NOT been adjudicated, yet a criminal investigation is on-going. The confiscation and seizure of their animals was simply the beginning of their nightmare.

The Rockbridge Advocate is yet another example of how the media has been provided excessive information before the prosecution notified opposing counsel or the courts. This is more proof that Attorney General Jason Miyares and his unit are violating the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct which dictate how attorneys act and are expected to conduct business. The rules prohibit the following:

3.6 Trial Publicity
A lawyer participating in or associated with the investigation or the prosecution or the defense of a criminal matter that may be tried by a jury shall not make or participate in making an extrajudicial statement that a reasonable person would expect to be disseminated by means of public communication that the lawyer knows, or should know, will have a substantial likelihood of interfering with the fairness of the trial by a jury.
A lawyer shall exercise reasonable care to prevent employees and associates from making an extrajudicial statement that the lawyer would be prohibited from making under this Rule.

https://vsb.org/Site/Site/about/rules-regulations/rpc-part6-sec2.aspx

The Attorney General's Office has issued and repeated statements to the press that:
● Speculated on the cause of an animal’s death before the investigation was complete.
● Publicly identified uncharged individuals as responsible.
● Described the use of medications in a way that implied criminal wrongdoing.
● Referenced a prior search warrant to further damage reputations, despite no charges being filed in relation to the events described.

These statements serve no legitimate law enforcement purpose and instead assign guilt before the completion of forensic evidence or the filing of charges. Their timing and repetition that were rebroadcast through multiple news outlets risk influencing both grand jury and trial jury proceedings, essentially creating a narrative of guilt for defendants. This type of public speculation, especially when amplified across multiple outlets and tied to a high-profile case in a small community, risks tainting the jury pool and undermines the fairness of any potential prosecution.

Such behavior is completely unethical and destroys public confidence in the justice system. Attorney General Jason Miyares and his unit have clearly violated the rules of professional conduct and must be held accountable.

Please help us continue to contact these two men and demand an independent investigation into the Animal Law Unit:

Rockbridge County Sheriff Tony McFaddin
540-462-5374
[email protected]

Rockbridge County Commonwealth's Attorney Jared Moon
540-463-7337
[email protected]

ABC 13 - WSET WSLS 10 / WSLS.com WDBJ7 WFXR News Cardinal News Augusta Free Press LLC The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va

14/09/2025

What is the connection between our Virginia Attorney General and Melya Kaplan of Voice for the Animals?

It appears that Jason Miyares is sending representatives of his Animal Law Unit to foreign countries to represent his office. He sent his Assistant to Greece in May 2024 though it has been kept very quiet. This appears to be one of her favorite destinations, however, as she visited in both 2017 and 2015. How many other overseas trips has she taken? And more importantly, who is paying for her to travel abroad?

A Voice for the Animals press release stated the following about Melya Kaplan after the 2015 trip:

"Pulling together contacts she had made during previous work on the Los Angeles Animal Cruelty Task Force, she traveled to Greece with two LAPD officers and a speaker from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office in 2015 for a first-ever collaborative conversation, co-organized by the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Hellenic Police, titled 'The Cycle of Violence: From Animal Abuse to Domestic Violence,' in which stateside cruelty experts spoke to a packed house of Greek law enforcement."

https://www.vftafoundation.org/this_non_profit_founder_is_helping_end_animal_abuse_in_greece

If you fast forward to more recent years, however, you will learn that Melya Kaplan has had a lot of legal troubles:

"In 2020, Arnold Rosenblatt, now a 97-year-old WWII veteran and one of the original Muscle Beach bodybuilders, filed a lawsuit against Melya Kaplan, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Voice for the Animals (VFTA). He had inherited a $4 million investment portfolio. He owned a home in Venice. Kaplan befriended the elderly plaintiff and became his power of attorney. As such, she set up meetings to revise his estate plans. As the plans were revised, a larger and larger share was set to go to Kaplan. Over the time that she managed his affairs as a fiduciary, his estate dwindled from millions to nothing."

https://juryverdictalert.com/elder-abuse/rosenblatt-revocable-trust

The Judge ordered Melya Kaplan and her nonprofit to repay $23.5 million in November 2024.

https://www.dailyjournal.com/article/382231-animal-rights-activist-ordered-to-repay-millions-of-dollars-plundered-from-97-year-old

A FOIA request was filed in February 2025 to find out who funded Michelle's trips to Greece. The office of Attorney General Jason Miyares gave the following response:

"The Office possesses no records responsive to this request as the Office was not financially responsible for the cost of Assistant Attorney General Michelle Welch’s 2015, 2017, and 2024 trips to Greece."

Yet when Michelle Welch went to Greece, she represented the Attorney General's Office. She went in her official capacity.

If Virginia taxpayers did not pay for these trips, who did?

At this point, should the Office of the Attorney General be looking to reimburse the senior citizen who had his millions stolen?

ABC 13 - WSET WSLS 10 / WSLS.com WDBJ7 WFXR News Cardinal News Augusta Free Press LLC The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va

14/09/2025

09/09/2025

Are prosecutors "for sale" in Virginia?

The 990s of the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) reveal something very disturbing. This fanatical group--that is actively working to eradicate family zoos, pet shops, and horse-drawn carriage rides--is giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Virginia Attorney General's Office. This nonprofit believes it is cruel to eat eggs, milk, cheese, meat, and honey. These ideas are far from mainstream, but this group is worth millions and are financing the prosecution of innocent Virginians to achieve their political goals.

This is no longer speculation. This is a provable fact.

Look at the following documents.

One grant to our Attorney General's Office was in the amount of $210,000.00. Another grant was in the amount of $120,000.00. A third grant was $60,000.00. All of these funds were given within the last few years.

This money is providing a huge incentive for the Animal Law Unit to come after owners for dirty water bowls and old animals that are loved and cared for. This isn't about justice or animal welfare. It's about money, publicity, and personal gain.

Compare these 990s with the testimony of Lois Magill in the Natural Bridge Zoo case. She testified on behalf of the Mogensens and stated she was told "there was grant money available" for her services. The Mogensen family learned during their civil case that grant money was being used to pay for meals, items, and travel for volunteers with the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force. We know ALDF money was used previously in another case to pay for witnesses and experts.

If you put all these pieces together the picture becomes very clear.

We are witnessing a political hit job in Rockbridge County, Virginia.

It is a massive conflict of interest for the ALDF to be involved in any way in the Mogensen case--let alone be the entity financing it. This violates the Mogensen's due process rights. There is absolutely no way they will receive a fair trial while Attorney General Jason Miyares sits in office.

The second day of the raid on December 7, 2023, an ALDF attorney named Danny Waltz gave an interview to WSLS 10. The news station reported at the time, "Waltz tells us that the Animal Legal Defense Fund isn’t directly involved with the Natural Bridge Zoo investigation — and they don’t have intimate knowledge of the care of animals there, but they’re encouraged by the actions being taken against the zoo and hope to see more."

https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2023/12/07/animal-legal-defense-fund-weighs-in-on-roadside-zoo-controversy/

Of course they were encouraged. They were glad to see their money at work.

What other radical groups are providing capital for the unit to operate?

Please don't remain silent. Speak up for the Mogensen family and contact the officials with Rockbridge County. Let them know you see the corruption and want the Animal Law Unit held accountable:

Rockbridge County Sheriff Tony McFaddin
540-462-5374
[email protected]

Rockbridge County Commonwealth's Attorney Jared Moon
540-463-7337
[email protected]

ABC 13 - WSET WSLS 10 / WSLS.com WDBJ7 WFXR News Cardinal News Augusta Free Press LLC The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va

28/08/2025

Attorney General Jason Miyares’ Animal Law Unit committed a crime to create a crime. The Unit, acting on behalf of and with the full authority of the Rockbridge County Commonwealth’s Attorney along with the assistance of armed security guards (also known as the Virginia State Police), denied care and prevented anyone else from caring for hundreds of animals when they stormed in and took over the Natural Bridge Zoo.

Miyares’ ALU raided the zoo at 7 AM on December 6, 2023. His armed security intercepted all of the zoo staff as they arrived for work that morning and held them in the gift shop of the zoo forcefully denying them access to the animals who relied on them for care. They were not allowed to give any form of care that is statutorily mandated until sometime between 1:00 - 2:00 PM. As zookeepers were held and interrogated, the zoo animals went without food, water and needed medications. Their enclosures were left with accumulated waste from the night before which was then allowed to become worse as nervous animals continued to urinate and defecate as the day wore on.

Miyares’ assistant acknowledges in writing that her actions of denying and preventing care for these animals constitutes cruelty under Virginia law. A Trooper testified under oath that the ALU prohibited the zoo staff from accessing the animals until the afternoon of the raid. The Unit documented these worsening conditions and presented this as evidence against the zoo when in fact it is evidence proving the ALU acted contrary to law.

A member of the jury who decided this case was interviewed by The Prowler, a student newspaper in Rockbridge County. In the interview, the juror stated that they relied heavily on the question “did they have clean environments and access to fresh water?” The answer to this question was a driving force behind the jury’s verdict.

https://rchsprowler.com/news/2024/05/17/member-of-jury-shares-thoughts-on-natural-bridge-zoo-trials/

The denial of care made for wonderful “crime scene” pictures to throw out in court, however Miyares’ team failed to mention the conditions they described were of their own doing. This behavior is not only illegal but is also unethical to an extreme.

It is time the Rockbridge County Sheriff's Office steps up and opens an investigation into the crimes committed by the Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit. It is likewise time for the Rockbridge County Commonwealth’s Attorney to step down and allow the Court to appoint a competent independent Prosecutor to oversee the investigation.

Please help us continue to contact these two men and demand accountability for the Animal Law Unit:

Rockbridge County Sheriff Tony McFaddin
540-462-5374
[email protected]

Rockbridge County Commonwealth's Attorney Jared Moon
540-463-7337
[email protected]

25/08/2025

Virginia’s Shadow Forfeiture:
General Warrants, Private Enforcers, and Justice for Sale

Do you have a working livestock guardian dog? A Husky who enjoys the colder elements? A toy poodle whom you allow to stroll leisurely through your fenced yard? If so, you may want to reconsider how you provide for them.

According to Jason Miyares’ Animal Law Unit, if your dog hypothetically could get over your fence, that is reason enough to seize your best friend. Lacking any common sense or actual animal training knowledge, they fail to recognize that a properly trained livestock guardian dog will respect boundaries and not challenge fences.

If your toy poodle is strolling through your backyard and there is not a doghouse present, god forbid the Animal Law Unit rolls up! It won’t matter if little Fifi was just out for a 5-minute potty break, these gallant warriors of justice will swoop in and “rescue” your beloved friend from these harsh conditions. They won’t allow you to take the dog inside or to place a doghouse outside as they will claim the dog’s life is in imminent danger and must immediately be removed.

Does your Siberian Husky refuse to come inside when the arctic breezes turn your yard into a winter wonderland? If so, you may need to start working on his recall. To allow him to wallow in this frozen tundra for anything other than a quick p*e break constitutes a failure to provide adequate care. The ALU will happily raid your yard and find a forever home where your snow loving good boy can live a life of luxury in front of a raging hot fireplace.

If you think it can’t happen to you, you need to start paying attention.

22/08/2025

What kinds of animals do you own or care for? What kinds of messes do they make?

Maybe you just have a pet cat, dog, or bird. Perhaps you run a pet store, operate a horse barn, or offer kennel services at your veterinary clinic. How much time do you and/or your staff spend cleaning p**p, feed pans, etc? Do you typically have a mess in the morning from the night before? Do you have a cleaning regimen before house guests or customers arrive?

It's important for the public to understand the type of scrutiny owners are subjected to by Virginia's Animal Law Unit. Common care and husbandry practices do not matter. Perpetual perfection is the measuring stick, but such a standard is fantastical.

Clean water bowls will almost immediately become dirtied, a cage with smooth newspapers will quickly transform into a shredded mess, and nicely prepared food items will rapidly disappear. It's common sense--not rocket science--but the Animal Law Unit is devoid of common sense. They simply want an excuse to confiscate and a reason to charge. They have to justify their existence and so they continue to methodically attack one owner after another using the same strategy one county and one courtroom at a time.

When the Animal Law Unit and Virginia State Police raided Natural Bridge Zoo early on the morning of December 6, 2023, they prevented the keepers from caring for the animals until approximately 2 p.m. that afternoon. This enabled the raid team to get their photos of messy enclosures, dirty water dishes, and empty food bowls. P**p was visible. All these reasons were used for seizure.

Yet by preventing the keepers from doing their jobs, the Animal Law Unit did EXACTLY what they say is a crime. They've actually put it in writing. But we're all supposed to forget the true events of December 6th.

What are we talking about?

Attorney General Jason Miyares--through his assistant--told JIG Ventures on May 21, 2025, "Denying care and preventing anyone else from caring for an animal constitutes cruelty." We've included the letter below for you to see.

We've also included a section of transcript from Dr. Ernesto Domginuez--one of the favorite veterinarians for the Animal Law Unit--who testified in regards to Natural Bridge Zoo, "You can see also that there is f***s and urate, so it seems that it hasn't been cleaned in the last 12-24 hours."

According to Dr. Dominguez, leaving an animal alone for 12 hours is neglect!

The presence of one pile of p**p means you're a bad owner according to the Animal Law Unit!

How much will a horse p**p in its stall in 12 hours? What kind of mess will your parrot make in its cage in that amount of time? Think of boarding kennels and vet clinics. What about your cats and their litter box?

Add in the fact that when animals are stressed they often p**p more. Their nerves cause digestive upset. Under Virginia law, the Animal Law Unit was the owner of those animals once they took control on December 6th, but they weren't feeding or cleaning them. They just wanted to get their pictures and try to make the Mogensens look as bad as possible.

But we are not supposed to question anything. The same rules are not expected to apply to these government officials.

Think about it.

If the staff left Natural Bridge Zoo at 6 p.m. the night before the raid, returned at 8 a.m. the next morning to the seizure, and were not allowed to feed until 2 p.m. that afternoon, the animals did not receive care for 20 hours. The Animal Law Unit did exactly what they say--in writing--is a crime.

Please continue to contact Rockbridge County Sheriff Tony McFaddin and tell him to do the right thing:

[email protected]

540-462-5374

He needs to step up and investigate the Animal Law Unit.

We need Rockbridge County Commonwealth's Attorney Jared Moon to step down.

The Animal Law Unit of Attorney General Jason Miyares must be held accountable.

ABC 13 - WSET WSLS 10 / WSLS.com WDBJ7 WFXR News Cardinal News Augusta Free Press LLC The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va

18/08/2025

Did a ranking official within the Virginia State Police issue an unlawful “Stand Down” order to Troopers on scene of the capture and resulting death of the Natural Bridge Zoo giraffe? It sure seems like it from their statement given to the Augusta Free Press.

https://augustafreepress.com/news/justice-for-valentine-giraffe-seized-from-natural-bridge-zoo-dies-during-transport/

The statement reads in part: “The Virginia State Police was not directly involved in Valentine’s removal from the zoo. Rather, troopers were present only to provide security.” Were the Troopers told they were simply armed security guards for the Attorney General? Were the Troopers ordered to look the other way while the Attorney General harassed, tortured and ultimately killed a giraffe? Did any of the Troopers seek permission to actually uphold their oath and the law and intervene to stop the cruelty and secure emergency veterinary care for Valentine?

The Virginia State Police are clearly trying to distance themselves from this growing dumpster fire. To claim they were not directly involved in the removal of the giraffes is outright fiction. It was their ex*****on of a search warrant that started this. They chose to enter this arena and as such, they are responsible for everything which flows forth.

It is concerning that they state: “The Attorney General’s Office continues to investigate Valentine’s death as part of their criminal investigation of Natural Bridge Zoo.” The death of Valentine was caused by the inhumane actions of the Attorney General acting on behalf of the Rockbridge Commonwealth’s Attorney. With the VSP publicly declaring they are not investigating this crime, we are left with the criminals investigating themselves. There will be no transparency and potential evidence will be ignored and covered to protect themselves from any accountability.

The Trooper’s Pledge begins: “Humbly recognizing the responsibilities entrusted to me as a member of the Department of State Police….I pledge myself to perform my duties honestly and faithfully to the best of my ability and without fear, favor or prejudice.” Perhaps it is time for the Virginia State Police to do some soul searching and reflection on the high ethical standards they tout as their governing mantra.

The Code of Virginia (3.2-6567) places an affirmative duty on all law enforcement officers in Virginia to enforce the animal welfare laws stating, “All law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth and State Veterinarian’s representatives SHALL enforce the provisions of this chapter to the same extent other laws in the Commonwealth are enforced.”

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title3.2/chapter65/section3.2-6567/

The Troopers present at the Natural Bridge Zoo failed on both their Trooper’s Pledge and their affirmative duty to act which violated Virginia law. Was this because someone in Richmond issued an unlawful order and the Troopers subsequently obeyed? It looks like we will never know.

With the State Police self identifying as security guards, it is time to demand transparency and a thorough competent investigation from actual law enforcement officers. The time has come for the Rockbridge County Sheriff's Office to step up and open an investigation into the crimes of the Animal Law Unit and all who participated in the horrors perpetrated on the animals of the Natural Bridge Zoo.

Please call and email Sheriff Tony McFaddin:

[email protected]

540-462-5374



ABC 13 - WSET WSLS 10 / WSLS.com WDBJ7 WFXR News Cardinal News Augusta Free Press LLC The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va

16/08/2025

We need every Virginian and every American to understand what is REALLY happening with the Natural Bridge Zoo case. You may not own a zoo, but this case matters to every single one of us.

Zeus the white tiger is a prime example of the overreach that is taking place at the hands of Attorney General Jason Miyares.

Zeus was born at the zoo. He was loved and spoiled. This giant cat had birthday parties in his honor. Gretchen affectionately called him her "Cookie Monster".

Zeus was receiving all the care that the law requires and more. He was under vet care. There was absolutely no reason to seize him on December 6, 2023. The Attorney General has told us that they did not seize the tiger, but that was a lie. When the Animal Law Unit told Gretchen that Zeus would either be transported to Colorado or be euthanized on the spot, he was in fact seized. The government was in control.

If the Animal Law Unit truly cared about animals, they would know that the best time to euthanize an animal is NOT during the highly stressful event of a government raid. They never put their hands on the animal. They had made their decision based on ideology--not animal welfare. As if this display of force was not cruel enough, Dr. Valerie Johnson took an excruciating 48 minutes to kill Zeus in a botched euthanasia.

The fact that Zeus had cancer was spread throughout the media in the unit's attempt to cover themselves, but cancer cannot be attributed to or blamed on the Mogensens.

We also have proof that Dr. Valerie Johnson lied to Rockbridge County. She testified the tiger was "very, very thin" and that "the hair coat was dull." She went on to state, "you could see the tiger's ribs."

According to the necropsy performed by the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, this was not true. They did put their hands on the animal. The pathologist stated the tiger's hair coat was good quality. She gave him a body score of 5 out of 9 which is considered ideal. He did have moderate muscle wasting, but this naturally comes with age.

How does Zeus matter to you and your pets?

The killing of Zeus had nothing to do with abuse or neglect and everything to do with an extreme ideology. This sets a dangerous precedent. If Attorney General Jason Miyares doesn't like that you're trying to treat your dog's cancer, he can kill it AND charge you with a crime.

Share this information with every animal owner and veterinarian you know. Jason Miyares and his wretched Animal Law Unit must be stopped and exposed for the world to see.







ABC 13 - WSET WSLS 10 / WSLS.com WDBJ7 WFXR News Cardinal News Augusta Free Press LLC The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va