LITCHFIELD PARK, AZ — A Litchfield Park woman accused of operating a dog breeding business faces 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, while all 70 dogs rescued from her home have since been adopted.
Lori Ann Kniphuisen faces 10 counts of Class 1 misdemeanor animal cruelty, nearly a year after Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputies rescued more than 60 dogs from her West Valley home.
Court records show investigators found 70 live dogs and 1 dead dog inside the home on September 2, 2025, when a search warrant was served at the home. Kniphuisen and her husband operated a dog breeding and selling business called State 48 Doodles and Yorkies out of the residence, according to court paperwork.
Investigators found dog remains in a room marked "The Dog House" — including a red collar, a femur, the front part of a skull and a lower mandible, according to court documents. Court documents note the bones showed evidence of being chewed on and likely consumed by other dogs.
According to the probable cause statement, the stench inside the home was described as unbearable, burning investigators' eyes and noticeable from outside as they approached the front door. Fecal matter was allegedly smeared onto the patio bricks leading up to the entrance.
Most of the 70 dogs were individually contained in small wire cages or in groups in small wire pens, with several dogs roaming loose throughout the house and some dogs contained in cages in the garage. Court documents state dogs were unable to move around in their cages without contaminating themselves with their own waste. Dogs kept in wire pens were grouped in spaces too small for their numbers, and many of the dogs were soiled with feces and urine, according to the court filing, which said some dogs were described as dripping wet with urine.
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Animal Crimes Detective David Evans was on the scene.
"I've been doing this about seven, eight years, and this is 9 out of 10, it's horrible," Evans said.
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Court documents show investigators recommended 71 counts of animal cruel neglect — one for every dog accounted for. Prosecutors have now charged Kniphuisen with 10 counts, all Class 1 misdemeanors, under Arizona Revised Statute 13-2910A1. The 10 counts correspond to specific dogs identified by MASH unit numbers in the complaint.
The charges allege Kniphuisen intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly subjected each dog to cruel neglect or abandonment.
Court records also detail the condition of eight dogs found to have the highest grade of dental disease.
Among those eight dogs, court filings say one Yorkie mix had dental disease so severe that the lower mandible had eroded away due to infection. Many of the dogs were also heavily matted, which court documents note causes pain and bacterial skin issues. The veterinarian's statement indicated dogs were likely to face long-term compromised respiratory systems due to prolonged exposure to the contaminated environment.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. at White Tank Justice Court in Avondale.
Kniphuisen's attorney, Manny A. Jacobo of the Jacobo Law Firm, provided a statement to ABC15 saying, "Our office represents Ms. Kniphuisen, the defendant, and because the case is in its earliest stages, we will not be commenting on the allegations at this time. The filing of charges is an accusation, not evidence. She is presumed innocent unless and until the State proves its case beyond a reasonable doubt in court."
MCSO tells ABC15 all 70 dogs have since been adopted. Shannon Plessel was among those who saw the rescue and wanted to help. She eventually adopted Asher, one of the rescued dogs, from the MASH unit.
"So seeing that news story really hurt me, and it hurt my heart to see that," Plessel said.
When Asher first came home, Plessel was struck by his condition.
"I cried. I was really shocked. I was very sad to see the condition he was in," Plessel said.
Asher has since adjusted to a new life, learning that food and his toys will always be there and learning to trust people again.
“It got to the point where he no longer devoured his food because he knew it was always going to be there. He goes in his crate and sleeps at night cause he knows we're not going to lock it," Plessel said. “It's just cool to see the transformation of him knowing he's, he's loved, and he's taken care of, and he trusts us."
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