Justice for Maxie: Legal & Advocacy Fund

On July 9, 2025, I received a phone call that changed my life.

My beloved German Shepherd Max—my best friend, my protector, and a founding soul of our sanctuary—had died suddenly while boarded at a facility in Maple Valley, WA. The owner, Jessica Guerrero of “Naughty Dog Training and Boarding,” told me Max had “collapsed.” She gave me no timeline. No details. And she still hasn’t.

That call came almost 12 hours after she says Max died.

Since that day, Jessica Guerrero has:

   •   Refused to provide a timeline or written statement of what happened

   •   Denied my request to view any video footage

   •   Refused to let Animal Control onto the property

   •   Claimed she has an attorney—but provided no information to me or investigators

   •   Continued to operate her facility without a license

Despite repeated requests, I still do not know when Max died, what condition he was in, or what emergency actions (if any) were taken to help him.

Max’s necropsy cost $1,700, and preliminary results show he died of bloat, a fatal condition that often requires immediate surgical intervention. He died in agony. And by Jessica’s own admission, she did not get him emergency care.

I’ve since learned that her business is unlicensed, that multiple other dog owners have come forward with disturbing stories, and that this tragedy—while deeply personal—is not an isolated incident.

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What the Money Will Be Used For

1. Legal fees to pursue civil action against Jessica Guerrero for her negligence, concealment, and failure to provide emergency care.

      •   I am working with one of the top animal law attorneys in Washington State.

      •   I am prepared to make a personal financial contribution, but I cannot afford to cover the full legal cost alone.

2. Necropsy and documentation costs already incurred, which are required to build a case.

      •   Max’s necropsy alone was $1,700.

      •   I have also paid for document preservation, records requests, and expert consultations.

3. Regulatory advocacy and reform.

      •   I am working with Pasado’s Safe Haven and other advocates to introduce Maxie’s Law, modeled after Ollie’s Law in Massachusetts.

      •   This law would establish baseline licensing, inspection, and reporting requirements for pet boarding facilities in Washington State, which currently has almost no enforceable standards.

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Why This Matters

I have dedicated the last seven years to running a nonprofit farm sanctuary. It has been my mission to protect animals, give them safety, and speak for them when no one else will.

Now I need your help.

Maxie was not just my dog. He was my family. He was the reason I felt safe. The reason I built our sanctuary. And the reason I’m fighting now.

But this isn’t just about Max.

This is about stopping unlicensed, unsafe, and unaccountable boarding operations from hurting anyone else.

This is about transparency. About public safety. About the right to answers when something goes wrong.

Please consider contributing to this fund. Any amount helps—whether it’s $10 toward printing advocacy materials or $1,000 toward the legal retainer.

If you can’t give, you can still help by sharing Maxie’s story.

Thank you from the bottom of my broken heart.

— Jennifer Conway

Executive Director, The Muddy Pug Sanctuary

Maple Valley, WA