Complaint Review: Death Row Dog Rescue - Hollywood Florida

I had heard numerous people involved in animal rescue talk about fraud being committed by Diana Peters of Death Row Dog Rescue.

On or about the 3/1913, I went to Diana Peters website. In almost every post there would be another person questioning her motives and calling her a fraud. This concerned me greatly, so I tried to approach her under the auspises of being a potential donor to her cause.

I wrote Diana a private message and told her I was a potential donor, but my accountant was requiring me to obtain a coopy of her status as a 501c3 organization, which would prove that anyone - regardless of whether of not they were liing in the State of Florida could indeed use their donation as a deductible expense on their taces. My personal understanding of the law is that even if she is just listed with the Department of Agriculture, donations from Florida residents are indeed tax deductible; however without the 501c3 designation, donations make from elsewhere throughout the US are not tax deductible. She does not make this clear on her Facebook page, thus misleading caring individuals from all over the country.

On 3/20/13, Diana wrote me back and explained that she was not a 501c3 because the cost of that was $850 and she could not afford it due to all the money does to vet bills, food, and medication for the animals she claims to have. I took a screen shot of the conversation as proof of fraud, but I have not shared that on Facebook. I knew I had caught her in an outright lie and did not send any funds to her organization. Instead I contacted PayPal and reported my concerns regarding her solicitation of money for a purpose than otherwise stated on her Facebook page and possibly committing internet fraud.

Since then I have witnessed Diana Peters post and solicit for donations on her Facebook page for dogs that other reputable rescues in the Miami area would say she doesn't have and wil never have in her posession - it's a continuous chain of lies. These organizations have pictures of these same dogs posted on their Facebok pages as happy and thriving in their safe, loving environments.

Through another concerned individual I was able to view photographs of her property - messy yard with a couch under a ripped tarp and other things that just looked completely uncared for. I am subscribed to alerts from the City of Hollywood, FL on 3/22/13 I received an alert that stated she was going to be investigated/visited by local authorities to assertain an update & verification of the numbers of dogs at the home. I later learned (same day) that when the investigator arrived at the property, the property was secured with a padlock and that the investigator had been unable to get to the front door to investigate further. The investigator also reported that the property appeared to be cared for in an acceptable manner. items I mentioned above were gone. It became apparent to me that either Diana Peters is also receiving these alerts herself, or had been tipped off by someone who refuses to believe the truth - even when it is placed directly in their face - possibly another individual assisting her in her never-ending treck to defraud the public.

I have also viewed a video of Diana - who appears in my opinion to have been heavily sedated or possibly drunk, that was taken in the home of one of her saupporters. In this video Diana Peters refers to herself as being "Joan of Bark", which after the information I had already learned made me totally sick.

There is a second video still posted on her Facebook page of an interview conducted in the interior of her home - which looks like it should be declared unfit for even a human to live in. This inverview was apparently taken in 2008 or 2009, by a local news outlet in the Miami area and depicts her as a selfless individual - donating even her antiques to help rescue animals. She still uses this video to show visitors to her Facebook page - although it is known to be at least 4 years old - as a testimonial to the "wonderful" work that she does. It is never stated that this video is old, to say the least. She explains the condition of her home a result of caring for so many animals in need. To those with blinders on, it is easy to see why they would want to assist her!

I have also received a tip that Diana Peters - in the mid to late 90's used to live in the Orlando area and was working at Orange County Animal Services and Seminole County Animal Services while she was there. According to this source, she was well known for her service and was a member of PETA. I believe the vast knowledge she gained through her employment in the Central Florida area helps her to become well versed in proper conduct of animal rescues, which I believe, she is currently using to support herself and not animals sheclaims she is housing and/or caring for.

There is so much more that I could say, but this is basically why I feel so very strongly that this woman should be investigated by the local authorities - regardless of the padlocked property.

I should add that Diana Peters herself posted a message to my Facebook account on January 21, 2013 stating that I should read about her in documents she has posted on her page and actually mentions something about being acused hurting a child - who will remain nameless on my report - something I knew absolutely nothing at all about! I was shocked and confused when I received this correspondence from her and immediately blocked her access to my FaceBook account. Just several weeks ago, I received unsolicited correspondence from an Abby Leonard - whom I now believe to an alias that Diana Peters created to gain access to FaceBook user pages she herself has been blocked on. The Abby Leonard persona posted the positive information available to anyone not blocked from Diana Peters' FaceBook page, expounding all of the wonderful things Diana Peters has done in the name of animal rescue, care and placement. Upon responding with a boatload of documentation, I never received a response from the Abby Leonard persona. I went to the FaceBook page of Abby Leonard and it appears to be a picture that has been copied many times (very blurry) and she had no friends, no timeline posts - obvious clues that the page was new. I have since tracked a real life person by this same name who I saw pictured in a Tony Robbins photograph which appears to depict members of his crew. I wonder if this poor woman is even aware that her identity has been so obviously stolen!

In closing I find all of this information very disconcerting and feel that Diana Peters should be investigated by local authorities and even the FBI, as I believe her to be comitting internet fraud.