Another Shady Incident Involving Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue
Last Thursday, Trisha Porter from Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue (RPMR) deceived people at the Stanislaus Animal Services in Modesto, CA in order to pull a 6-year-old female Bullmastiff that arrived at there last month.
This is the dog Trisha Porter managed to take from the Stanislaus Animal Shelter in Modesto, CA.
People often ask me how shady rescue groups like RPMR are able to pull so many dogs from shelters in California and bring them here to sell. This post will show the tactics Porter used to mislead the shelter staff to get the dog.
Washington rescues can pull these dogs because of a California law passed in the 1970s requiring its shelters to release any dog scheduled to be euthanized to dog rescues that are registered as 501c3 charities with the IRS (contributions to 501c3 charities are tax deductible).
Many questionable Washington dog rescues are registered as nonprofits, not 501c3s, so they can’t pull dogs from California shelters themselves.
I can’t say for sure why they don’t register as a 501c3. My guess is it’s because they have to do more extensive reporting and supply more financial information to the state and IRS. Filing for 501c3 status also costs a few hundred bucks.
This screenshot shows that Rising Phoenix is registered as a nonprofit in WA. They are ineligible to pull dogs from California animal shelters because they aren’t a charity.
However, rescues without 501c3 status can skirt the California law by partnering with dog rescues that are 501c3s and will pull dogs for them.
Once someone pulls a dog, no regulations prevent the 501c3 group from turning them over to a non-501c3 group.
Partnering with Another Shady Rescue
Because Porter registered Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue as a nonprofit so it can’t pull dogs from California shelters.
Instead, Trisha Porter uses a 501c3 organization in Carson, CA called Rescue Me Pups to pull dogs.
Here’s why I believe Rescue Me Pups was created primarily to allow out-of-state dog rescues to pull dogs from California shelters:
- The website doesn’t show any dog adoptions since 2013.
- The pictures of dogs available for adoption have no information about the dogs other than their names.
- I can’t find an organization called Rescue Me Pups registered in California.
- I can’t find a list of board members for Rescue Me Pups.
- Rescue Me Pups has no presence on social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc. All the dog rescues that I know use social media to increase exposure for their dogs available for adoption.
- The IRS revoked the 501c3 status of Rescue Me Pups last year because the group didn’t file any Form 990-series forms for 3 consecutive years.
Here’s what happened according to people involved with the incident:
Last Thursday Porter texted a person with the shelter that she wanted to pull the same dog for Rising Phoenix.
After checking out Porter’s checkered background she told Porter she couldn’t pull the dog.
Later that day someone emailed the Stansilaus shelter asking to pull the same dog for Rescue Me Pups.
Quite the coincidence, right?
After discovering that the IRS revoked the group’s 501c3 status last year the shelter turned down Rescue Me Pups’ request to pull the dog.
This notice from the IRS shows the agency revoked Rescue Me Pups’ 501c3 status last Spring.
Ideally that would be the end of the story, but, as I’ve discovered in the last few years, unethical dog rescues are tenacious and crafty once they decide to get a particular dog.
Both Trish and Gail Porter are on the board of the Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue.
Using Mother’s Name to Adopt Dog
After Porter had been turned down twice when she tried to pull the dog, a woman showed up at the shelter that same day and adopted the same dog.
The shelter can’t reveal the name of the woman that adopted the dog, but one of my contacts learned her first name was Gail.
I also have confirmation from the shelter that the woman who “adopted” the dog was from Yakima.
It’s also where Trisha Porter lives and RPMR is located.
Again, quite the coincidence.
But who is this Gail person that adopted the dog?
Turns out that a woman named Gail Porter is one of RPMR’s board members. According to RPMR’s formation documents, she lives at the same address as Trisha Porter.
She’s also Trisha Porter’s mother.
I can’t determine whether or not the person from Yakima that “adopted” the dog was Trisha Porter or her mother Gail, but it really doesn’t matter.
The dog will end up at the same place – in Yakima with RPMR. Hopefully someone will adopt it quickly so it isn’t there long.
Unfortunately, many other dogs end up in the hands of sham rescue groups like Rising Phoenix Mastiff Rescue. The people who run them skirt regulations that supposed prevent them from getting the dogs.
No regulations will ever completely prevent this interstate network of dog traffickers, but current regulations, especially the one allowing any 501c3 to pull dogs from California shelters, have giant loopholes that legislators should close.
Meanwhile, Porter headed to Arizona to snatch up a some Mastiff puppies from another rescue unfamiliar with her history.
I hope they don’t end up as sick and neglected as many of Porter’s other dogs.
This pubic document confirms that Gail Porter is Tricia Porter’s mother.
I also think that a lot of rescues go non profit just to get out of paying property taxes on top of gaining a profit from donors and adoptions. So many out there I guess there are not enough people to oversee these people.
Yeah no. I formed Pacific Pug Rescue as a 501c3 many years ago. You still pay property tax. The individual would not benefit. But..a not for profit is not governed by the same rules
Certainly need stronger laws… Yhe adoption or care of a companion animal should have neatly yhe same rules as a human child… Trafficking in living breathing caring souls of all kinds needs to stop
It’s sad that someone had to go to such great lengths to prevent a dog from being euthenized, and you are upset about it. In the beginning of this article, it says the dog must be on a list to be euthenised. If your shelter didn’t euthanize healthy animals, people wouldn’t be so compelled to save them.
I didn’t say the dog was scheduled to be euthanized but honestly, it would be more humane to euthanize a dog instead of allowing it to suffer terrible medical problems like many of her other dogs.
There are worse things than euthanasia, and a dog at Rising Phoenix mastiff rescue will experience those awful things.
Rising Phoenix is literally the worst. How can they be stopped??? they sold us a dog (under the guise of “adoption” or “rescue” but let’s be honest here…) with parvo. She was 8 weeks old, we have always gotten our dogs from rescue and took a chance on a new “rescue.” The day after we received the puppy from Rising Phoenix (Trish Porter) she was diagnosed with parvo. We called to inform them that they had parvo at their facility and she told us “that’s not my problem” REALLY?!?!? Parvo at a dog rescue facility that you own is not your problem? I can’t think of anything that is more YOUR PROBLEM. We weren’t even asking for anything (at that point – we eventually asked for our money back for the adoption – Petfinders interceded on our behalf and we received our adoption refund, much to Trish’s dismay). Negligent, uncaring, and cold-hearted. They are literally the worst. Our puppy spent 8 days being cared for by us before she died. At least she had that. Euthanized is indeed a better fate than Rising Phoenix and Trish Porter.
Yes! I wonder what in the heck the issue is here? Damn this rescue for saving an animal from euthanasia?
Adopting out dogs that are sick and/or have behavior problems is not responsible rescue. Either do it right or don’t do it at all. She doesn’t pull dogs from many shelters either.
Wow Jennifer. Maybe if you could actually read the article and actually understand what is happening. I understand your limited intelligence prevents you from so much, but maybe, just maybe, a spark will happen in that little walnut you call a brain.
Rising Phoenix does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but pull dogs from shelters and sells them for profit. They don’t fix any medical/behavioural issues. They take the dog, then they sell it for like $400.
I actually live in Yakima. I found this article in a post about the horrible conditions she keeps these dogs in. In the video a nursing mother is covered in filth chained to a fence. The yard is littered with feces and has multiple dogs running around.
I guess I’m confused. What is the problem? I live in Montana and got repeatedly scammed by people needing to get rid of dogs. Then I found California had many at shelters that practice euthanasia. But I couldn’t afford the time off. RPMR saved my girl from some horrible males. I could care less if they break laws to save innocent animals from death. I love my girl and I have no regrets!
That’s great. Like I’ve said, some of their adoptions work out fine. I’m glad yours did. But I don’t think the dozens of people who adopted sick/behavior challenged dogs from her would agree with you.
Is Trish Porter a middle-aged, older woman? I got a mastiff from her 4 years ago, not realizing that it was a bad business/scam. Anyway he was 30-40 lbs underweight and horribly sick. He is also only aggressive towards middle-aged or older women.
I’m not sure how old she is. Maybe 30-40.