"Exorcist" star Linda Blair's animal rescue cited for overcrowding, violating license at Los Angeles-area facility
Inspectors with Los Angeles County have found the nonprofit dog rescue, the Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation, to be in violation of operating an animal facility without a license, exceeding the number of animals allowed, and other zoning violations.
The 2.5-acre property in Acton, owned by the foundation, provides a temporary home to rescued animals, according to LBWF.
A county inspection warrant was issued and executed at the property last week in response to complaints that more than 100 dogs were being kept in "overcrowded, unsanitary conditions," according to LA County.
Also under inspection were a number of sheds on the site that were possibly unpermitted or unapproved.
The inspection uncovered 241 dogs on the property and while none were removed, three dogs were ordered for veterinary treatment. Orders to Comply were also issued by the animal care to correct shortfalls in housing facilities and sanitation.
"The property was previously licensed as an Animal Facility allowing a maximum of 100 dogs on the property, however that license expired in 2023 and was not renewed," Los Angeles County wrote in a news release.
Linda Blair responded in an Instagram video post over the weekend, saying, "I want to come to you and say this has been quite the experience and I look at it as a positive."
"We now have more light shed on animal welfare and animal rescue and the plight of the animals than ever, ever before."
She referred to shelters closing during the pandemic, leaving many animals unspayed and unneutered, which in turn led to a boom.
"And people expect and need rescues, and every rescue is full, full to capacity," Blair said in the post.
The facility has received citations in the past for license violations, including housing more than 180 dogs, and for violating the County Zoning Code by building structures on the property, according to LA County.
The county's planning department made nine attempts to schedule a property inspection and Animal Care and Control made 15 attempts over three years before the warrant was issued.
The owner was issued citations for operating an animal facility without a license and for exceeding the number of animals allowed in a residence. Zoning violations were also confirmed by the Department of Regional Planning during the inspection.
County officials said the investigation of the property is ongoing.
Linda Blair starred in the 1973 horror film "The Exorcist" at age 13. She founded the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation in 2003.
