The owners of Mutts and Moms adoption agency went on the record by speaking with Access Hollywood saying that they’ve begun receiving threats of death and arson after taking Iggy back, the Brussels Griffon mix terrier at the center of this tug-of-war, who they allege was given away by DeGeneres in a breach of contract.
Marina Baktis spoke with Access Hollywood Tuesday evening about the great strife that this incident has caused her and her business partner, Vanessa Chekroun.
“My life is being threatened, this is horrible. I rescue dogs. I can’t believe this,†Baktis said sobbing Tuesday night.
People are being so cruel to us. People are sending things that say ‘Nazi’ and words that I can’t repeat. You know so we can’t even review [adoption] applications because at this point we think [the threat givers] are just gonna come and try to hurt our animals.â€
Baktis told Access that she’s worried for her safety and that her own dogs are being threatened.
“I haven’t eaten, I’m sick, and I’ve had heart palpitations,†she said.
She also claims that she’s losing business at her store, Paws Boutique, and that she’s had to remove Mutts and Moms Web site from the Internet.
“Now we can’t go to work because there is all this media… And so we’re losing business… Our reputation, they ruined our reputation,†Baktis continued.
As previously reported, DeGeneres gave Iggy to her hairdresser and her hairdresser’s two daughters, when Iggy didn’t get along with DeGeneres’ cats. The dog had bonded with its new temporary owners, when Mutts and Moms took the dog away because DeGeneres had not followed the agency’s protocol.
Baktis has now said that she would never give back Iggy to the family that DeGeneres handed him off to.
“No, that is not a consideration at this point, no,†Baktis told Access. “Not after the way we’ve been treated, no. We have been terrorized, it has been horrible.â€
Attorney Keith A. Fink, who doesn’t legally represent Baktis and Chekroun (but is authorized to speak on their behalf), confirmed to The Associated Press that the women will not give back Iggy.
“She doesn’t think this is the type of family that should have the dog,†Fink told the AP. “She is adamant that she is not going to be bullied around by the Ellen DeGenereses of the world … They are using their power, position and wealth to try to get what it is they want.â€
Baktis claims that DeGeneres’ celebrity is the sole reason why she’s getting all of this attention.
“Celebrities you know, they, they get preferential treatment. They have lots of money. They go into a restaurant they get a table. And so you know, this contract was breached. It was breached. So people need to understand when you enter a binding legal agreement that you can’t just go, ‘And here you go, I don’t want you.‘â€
Marina adds though, that she has no plans to sue Ellen.
“She thought she was doing a good thing,†DeGeneres’ rep, Kelly Bush, told the AP. “She’s notorious for rescuing animals and finding them good homes. She found the dog a wonderful, wonderful home.â€
Pat Buono, owner of Pat’s Pet Grooming in Pasadena, knows Batkis and Chekroun, because Mutts and Moms operates out of an office next door to their shop. Buono’s business was also besieged by media Tuesday afternoon, but she doesn’t necessarily think that either party has committed an egregious error.
“I just wondered, ‘If it wasn’t Ellen if anyone would even be here or even be checking on this?’ They [Batkis and Chekroun] are trying to do a good thing. They are trying to rescue and help dogs and perhaps in this particular case they didn’t see the forest for the trees,†Buono told Access.
“We just have to assume since it was Ellen that she wouldn’t put the dog in harms way. But you don’t know, and nor did Marina. So in fairness to her I’m sure she wanted to be surer that the dog was given a good home. And perhaps there was several people that were interested in the dog at the same time.â€
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following statement to Access Tuesday: “At a time when so many people in Hollywood, like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, are making impetuous ‘pet’ purchases, PETA commends Ellen for adopting a homeless animal from a shelter…we know that Ellen was trying to do the right thing…she just missed a step.â€
Update: On Tuesday night, Marina Baktis of Mutts and Moms filed the report with the Pasadena Police Department claiming she is being harassed over the ordeal, TMZ.com reports. This follows reports that the agency received death threats after DeGeneres broke down in tears on Tuesday’s show.
DeGeneres, 49, continued her appeal on Wednesday’s show. “It’s become so insane,” she said. “The dog just needs to go to the family.” She remained composed as she went on to say the fight should not be about anything but putting the dog in a loving home.
I’m kinda curious to know what makes Mutts and Moms think Iggy wasn’t in a good home and why they removed him. Was it really as simple as most people assume it was, a power trip or was there more to it? They didn’t go into why they removed Iggy, I just keep hearing the breach of contract. Couldn’t a simple visit to the home and talking to the owners have taken care of this? And now they say they won’t give him back because of the way they were treated. What did the new owners do to them? Nothing! So they, and Iggy are being penalized? Sad.
Read the original story – HERE
Watch Ellen’s tearful plea – HERE
-Iggy is given to a new home – read it HERE
-LA Times weighs in on “Iggygate” – read it HERE
-Allegations against Mutts and Moms comes to light – read it HERE
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If it was Oprah, or George Bush, this would not be a issue! This bitch is ALL about power! Loves to see heart broken kids, she must have had a sad childhood to be so cruel! Rot in hell!
They took the dog from the family not only because of some said breach of contract but also it was said that this supposed rescue agency does not adopt dogs to family with children or at least children under 14. What the hell kind of “RESCUE” agency has restrictions like that? Hmm is this really an adoption agency or perhaps a puppy mill??? I dont agree with death threats but I think they should be put out of business until they can be looked into
Sounds like the lady has learned her lesson.
I hope all rescue places have too!
My experience with rescue agencies was very negative. Some of them were outright offensive.
When I was trying to find a kitten, I ended up lying about my 3 year old daughter. The closest I could find to a kitten was a 6 month old. She survived my daughter and she’s still healthy and well loved.
No luck with my dog either. The only dogs I could find at the pound were mature pit bulls. I checked a few rescue agencies online, but a few phone calls scared me off. I ended up going to a breeder.
Unwanted pets aren’t a very serious problem. People are more educated about pet ownership then ever before. It’s hard to find puppies and kittens!
I do think that the rescue volunteers that give the ugly old mutts a good home are great people. But it doesn’t give them license to impose on everyone else’s joy of pets.
Not only is Mutts and Moms NOT authorized to do what they do…but taking the dog away was ILLEGAL. They had no rights or protections under California Law because they have been under SUSPENSION as a 501c NON-Profit for a long time. They are an illegal operation and the owners are still claiming to be a 501c even though they are not and ALL OF THEIR REVENUE IS TAXABLE AS PERSONAL INCOME. They are FRAUDULENT:
FROM THE CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE DATABASE:
From the Secretary of States web site moments ago:
Corporation
MUTTS & MOMS
Number: C2693823 Date Filed: 12/20/2004
Status: suspended
Jurisdiction: California
Address
**** CERRILLOS DR
WOODLAND HILLS, CA 91364
Agent for Service of Process
PHILIP D HODGEN
140 S LAKE AVE STE 250
PASADENA, CA 91101 CA Sec of State
Suspended is defined as:
Suspended: The California corporation has lost all rights and powers for failure to meet statutory filing requirements of either the Secretary of State’s office or the Franchise Tax Board. Information regarding the type of suspension can be obtained by requesting a status report. Fees and instructions for requesting a status report are included on the Business Entities Records Order Form. CA Sec of State
ET Online reports that it is said the contract in question does not contain an age clause, another reason given by Mutts & Moms for taking back the dog. Their sources also tell the syndicated entertainment and news program that the family Ellen gave the dog to — her hairdresser, his wife and their two pre-teen daughters — did fill out an application online when the dog took up residence with them.
It was at that time the agency said they would come out to inspect their property as part of the adoption process. Instead, they reclaimed the dog and calling the police. As Mutts & Moms were officially registered as the owners by the chip, authorities turned over custody to them.
http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272616691.shtml
I highly disapprove of Mutts and Moms, Marina Batkis and Vanessa Chekroun’s actions. They acted on impulse with vengeance on the goodhearted-ness and best interest between a celebrity and deserving children; not with empathy or forethought. In researching the web, PETA, Humane Society, BBB, and SPCA historical information, these owners have not proven themselves respectful or caring. In fact they show spite, more than anything. Reviewing everything to date re. Marina. She still doesn’t show any emotion for the human bond between animal and a well deserving family. A reasonable human would not act on impulse driven by a bogus contract but allowed time for review and reasses the situation. A responsible business owner would have responded by now to the media, attorneys, and press with a RESOLUTION and not hiding and REACTING with negativity. When one appears as a villain one would naturally want to disarm the situation; not in this case. Nothing on the news has touched me in such a way that i would be actually reaching out and being an activist.
You can’t tell me that marina lady was not just overreacting and that in her anger she never even considered checking into whether or not it was a good home she just picked a reason and ran off immeadiatly attributing what Ellen did to her being a celebrity and thinking she can do whatever the hell she wants. I am sorry but that women is irrational and mean and her reasons for not even considering that home are bullshit and totally immature. It’s like you did not do it my way so now you can’t even have it at all I’ll show you. If her reason was the ages of the children there she better be damn sure ready to prove that absolutly no children of that age are in any of the homes of her adopted dogs. It’s so bogus she took the dog back in a huff because Ellen did not call her back and inform her of her plans to make some children and the dog much happier. You just cannot tell me that she was not being irrational as well as vindictive when she would not allow them to do whatever to keep the dog. Maybe she is a good person or maybe she is just an insecure woman with identity issues who has now proven herself as irrational and petty. She could have looked into that family and considered them for adoption of Iggy but she was spiteful and never once if you ask me was it about whats best for the dog. If she really thought ellen was such a typical holier then thou celebrity in the first place then what made her allow her to adopt the dog at all. Maybe her anger over Ellen being a big celebrity whom she thinks just wants to step on people to get her way was more like her getting insulted and handling it like an irrational ,spiteful , vindictive egomaiac. If Ellen wanted to act like what Marina thinks celebrities are then why would she even have tried to adopt a pet from a rescue center in the first place. Anyone can buy a pet from a breeder or a petshop but only so many stop and think of the ones they might be able to save and give a better life too. I personally think he her unprofessional and juvenille behaviour is only going to hurt the animal rescue mission because how many people would want to be put through something like this because she just could not get over her foolish pride and allow the family to adopt the dog. I am sure she is a good person underneath it all but she is looking mighty petty and spiteful and rather heartless and incapable of doing the right things for the right reasons. Being judgemental is not the same as being a good judge of character.
i cannot believe what is happening!! with all the animals in this country that need homes these women decided that what ellen did was wrong?! first of all i don’t think she did anything all that awful – perhaps she didn’t read the fine print but she didn’t do anything to harm the dog. second of all the way you stormed over to that home and removed that dog was unforgivable! you hurt more than ellen – you hurt your own reputation. do you honestly think that by “winning this battle” you made a good name for your business? no of course not – your a drama queen and a phony – i saw you on TV and this was your perfect way to get exposure. what you didn’t bet on was the amount of people that believe in ellen. you were wrong in the way you handled this – get over yourself.
I provide a foster home for a national rescue organization which has a contract that sounds similar to that from Mutts & Moms. I have the final decision to approve or deny the adoption, based on what is best for the dog. Some dogs are fine with small kids and some are not.
None of you who are moaning about how “mean” Mutts and Moms is know the full story (nor do I), but the fact is that M&M know the dog’s personality, and you do not. And Mr Powell, if you were uncomfortable with the rescue organization’s scrutiny, what does that say about you? And your comment that unwanted pets are not a serious problem is asinine. The reality is that in my town 60 dogs are euthanized each week, and those that are adopted from the pound have been exposed to distemper. The border collie mix I adopted last May died of distemper contracted at the pound.
So why don’t those of you who think M&M are heartless meanies put your money (literally) where your mouth is, and volunteer to foster for a rescue organization, or better yet open your own shelter. You’ll very quickly become acquainted with the realities.
I don’t get how they got the police to get involved in this theft.
I know this will probably not be a popular view on this site but the harsh reality is a dog is property. Once you have sold it, you no longer have a say in what happens with it. This is no different than if a used car dealer tried to repossess a car because the person who bought it gave it to someone else. The arrogance of this Marina woman is amazing. I’m pretty sure she can kiss her business goodbye, but it is no ones fault but her own.
So these people will forever own any dogs they suppossedly put up for “adoption”? They need to come up with a new name for what they really do. Taking a dog away from a good home is completly insane! Get over yourself and do the right thing for the dog and the people who are willing to care for it and give it a good home. Instead of going out and stealing dogs back maybe they can do something constructive like helping abused animals and making sure the abusers get the punishment they deserve! There are thousands of animals out there that need help! I think M&M should volunteer at shelters too so they see what is really going on in the world instead of breaking up happy homes.
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