Schneiderman
ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - An unregistered dog shelter that allegedly illegally raised funds has been shut down by an order of the Supreme Court of Oneida County, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced on Wednesday.
Lucky Dog Rescue, run by the company Mohawk Valley Inc. and its registered owner Jan Miller, allegedly raised money by promoting itself as a dog shelter that housed neglected, abandoned and abused dogs. Schneiderman alleged that very few animals benefited from the funds.
The company, along with the dog rescue, and its registered owner can no longer raise or receive funds.
“Unregistered organizations that take advantage of the charitable spirit of New Yorkers do a disservice to the causes they claim to support,” Schneiderman said. “Those who donate to charitable organizations should have every confidence that their money is going toward its intended purpose, and our office will hold people accountable when they betray the trust of donors and the communities they serve.”
The group didn't register as a charitable company, despite constantly seeking donations from the public. It also allegedly told donors that their donations were tax deductible, which was false. The dog rescue and its parent company allegedly violated New York's Not-for-Profit Corporation Law and also didn't have an IRS 501-c-3 classification.