Carrie Aenk co-founded Shepherd’s Way Animal “Rescue” with her husband Allen and has had numerous brushed with the law. Photo from Carrie Aenk Twitter page.
Last Friday The Spokane Spokesman Review reported that a Spokane County Superior Court Judge sentenced the co-founder of Shepherd’s Way Animal Rescue in Springdale, WA to two months in prison for theft.
Army veteran Dustin Hatfield and his wife Elle paid Carrie Aenk a $3000 for horses he wanted to adopt.
They never got the horses.
THE AENKS’ HISTORY OF SHADY AND ILLEGAL ANTICS
Public scrutiny began to focus on Ms. Aenk, her husband Allen, and Shepherd’s Way last summer after the Aenks claimed that the ranch was “the official command center for volunteer fire fighters and collected money from a $10,000 fundraising appeal set up for them by a group in Florida called Lost Pet Found Pet.
The Aenks put pictures of raging fires and a “tent city” on their property in the fundraising appeal.
However, I discovered that the picture of the tents was NOT taken on Shepherd’s Way property. It is a picture from a story from last September about a wildfire in California.
And I found one of the pictures of a giant fire purportedly near their property on several websites, including this article from 2013.
Fortunately only a few hundred dollars had been pledged for the “command center” before the appeal was pulled after several articles questioned its veracity.
Other ethically questionable acts by the Aenks included claiming their “rescue” adopted out former Military Working Dogs, having a man suspected as a domestic terrorist by the FBI living in a trailer on their property to provide “protection and assistance” for them, and allegedly putting down a German Shepherd a day after Ms. Aenk picked it up to supposedly bring it back to the “Rescue.”
In addition, Ms. Aenk was convicted of bank fraud in 1998 and has had other other brushes with the law.
“AENK ALTERED CONTRACT”
The Spokesman Review reported that during the trail, Aenk and her attorney said the contract clearly stated “the adoption fees were nonrefundable.”
Aenk claimed she didn’t deliver the horses because “she had concerns the Hatfields did not have adequate facilities.”
Spokane County Superior Court Judge James Triplet torpedoed that claim. He noted copies of the contracts submitted as evidence appear to bolster the Hatfields’ argument…that Carrie Aenk altered the contracts after they signed them.
The Woodbridge Animal Group originally posted that Max was available for rescue on 7/14/15. Image from WAG.
Aenk’s attorney also tried to convince Judge Triplet that Ms. Lovera’s money didn’t benefit Aenks personally.
The Judge quickly shot that claim. He said, “The evidence is clear that the money went to Mrs. Aenk, not Shepherd’s Way.”
“HISTORY OF FRAUD AND THEFT DATES BACK DECADES”
Judge Triplet ultimately gave Ms. Aenk a 2 year sentence for theft but suspended all except 2 months of it. She will report to prison on February 26.
The Spokesman Review reported that Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer Zappone wanted a stiffer sentence “based on Aenk’s criminal history of fraud and theft that dates back decades.”
She added, “The defendant used this nonprofit as a way to exploit the goodwill of others. Essentially, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
I’m glad Judge Triplet saw through the Aenk’s scheming and lies. In my opinion, the Aenk’s created Shepherd’s Way as a vehicle for fleecing people out of their money.
To them, potential adopters are just easy marks to exploit. It’s sickening to contemplate how many thousands of dollars they collected while many of the dogs they claimed were adopted disappeared after they were paid for taking them.
I encourage you to click on these links and file complaints with the Washington State Attorney General and the Internal Revenue Service about the Aenk’s antics at Shepherd’s Way.
Those of us that are actually concerned about rescuing animals must make our voices heard about this rogue animal “rescue.”
How disgusting that so called patriots would STEAL FROM A VETERAN! Shame on the Aenks. This is an insult to everything that they claim to stand for. Not only so they LIE about rescuing Military War Dogs, but they have no problem stealing from those that actually served our country. Carrie Aenks herself claims to be a veteran, (serving back in the 80’s for a minimum tour during peacetime ) yet she steals, lies and cheatsee a fellow vet. Even going so far as to claim that they were converted Muslims that attacked her. This person has serious mental issues.
Keep probing because they did a couple of round ups too..who knows where those horses go . could be again unsuspecting victims as usuial ..in a kill buy round up zone ( quick McDonalds buck ) no animal control county ..we don’t know for certain any facts but they would be so smart that they would never put the kill buy horses with phoney rescue front ..please be aware this is possible no proof though but at least some of other things they are doing are exposed thank you again
Two months, THIS time. We all know thete will be more jail time for more future illegal dealings. I want to know WHY, people still support them? Those who do, should also be investigated.
Several things come to mind when I read yet another article about this rescue. Those who know or have had bad dealings with them should speak up, they claim to be Patriots and Allen part of the militia but he lies to even them by claiming the dogs he rescues are retired war dogs, not to mention the false police report that he made claiming hey are worth 2500.00. I am unsure how they can hurt so many people including family without feeling bad at the end of the day. To use religion and veterans for profit in my eyes is the lowest forms of scams. I heard today another rescue was going to take their horses but Carrie declined, dot hey have jobs to feed them? Oh and Max the German shepherd Max who was an owner surrender due to circumstances out f their control. These people even paid the 100.00 surrender fee tot he shelter in hopes he would find another home and they killed him.
Yeah my dog pookiebear was court ordered there on late july 2015. They sent my supposed to be photos of my dog living a good happy life there. Until 12 6 2015 when the feds raided there property and my dog was photographed by a photographer in a cage mmud n sleet n rain with no food or water. So i wasnt able to actually go up & see my dog n person till 4 7 2016, when i arrived my dog was no where to be found & they had told me that they were told by the attorney marla tauscher who reprented me n my dog pookiebear in our case, that i was not be told anything on his where abouts. Now i am taking this whole matter n marla tausher n the aneks back into court. My dog was my life and i will take down whoever n however i have to legally to make these people pay 4 his life. Sincerely pookiebear s owner & mom Beverly Jennings
Hi Beverly I am a rescuer / animal welfare activist in LA and I know Marla is a snake (personally) and there was never any accounting for pookiebears whereabouts. Do you have a contact email please send me so I can give to someone who is trying to track down info related to marlas involvement. My email is whitneysmith3@gmail.com
Thank you.
Many horse people are well aware these are shady horse dealers and not a legit horse rescue so now they are moving into dog rescue so we are warning everyone about them. Many animals are not properly fed and no vet care at their fake rescue. It is like a concentration camp for animals if anyone has ever been there. I have and it was bad so of course I reported them but in a county without animal control nothing was done as usual. So we continue to warn people to buy horses or adopt them from the legit horse rescuers in this region. I was talking to Carrie and Allen but then they tried to rope me into their schemes so I avoided them until they tried to do the same with the legit horse rescuers. I warned them to avoid them like the plague as they would be lumped in with the Aenks. I used articles on this site so they could research all the past criminal activities and they did not want criminals around their children. They listened and made sure they separated their real rescue from these criminals. Sad that they are still allowed to advertise their sick and skinny dogs on many adoption sites and still are out there defrauding the public.
Have you seen any advertisements from them recently?
Was wondering if she has started serving her time yet?
She did but I don’t think she’s still in jail.
Where are you aware there was a second victim of the California do?
My understanding is Heidi in California somehow was involved with Carrie aenk and their pretend were dog rescue in Washington. The dog Riley went out to a family in bit their child, from there went to another home in another state and bit someone very badly leaving scars. How is this considered rescue?
I hadn’t heard that. Thanks for the info.