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Philadelphia shelter pulls dogs from New Jersey rescue amid questions over Biggie’s death
ACCT Philly says it confirmed that Biggie Smalls, a senior dog transferred to Gone Rogue Girls, was shot, but the shelter does not know when he died. The shelter says all dogs have since been removed from the rescue as people with ties to the organization raise concerns about its records and other animals’ whereabouts.
ACCT Philly has removed all dogs from Gone Rogue Girls, a New Jersey rescue partner, after learning of allegations that a dog transferred from the Philadelphia shelter was shot while in the group’s care.
The dog, Biggie Smalls, was a senior with medical issues. ACCT Philly Executive Director Sarah Barnett said the shelter confirmed he had been shot, but did not know when he died.
The concerns came to light Tuesday, Barnett said. She said ACCT requires references and prior shelter experience from rescue partners, in addition to an application. The founder of Gone Rogue Girls is now unreachable, according to ACCT. The rescue’s social media accounts and website have been deactivated, and its phone number disconnected.
Tyfanee Fortuna, who is helping track dogs that had been in the rescue’s care, disputed the group’s account of Biggie’s death. She said a spring social media post reported that he had cancer and had been laid to rest, while she believes he was shot about a month before that and was never examined by a veterinarian or diagnosed with cancer. Those claims have not been independently confirmed.
Fortuna also said she found records listing many dogs as deceased or returned to their owners, with some entries containing placeholder information rather than usable addresses or email contacts. She is investigating reports that some dogs may be unaccounted for.
Pemberton police said they are aware of the allegations but declined to comment. The case underscores the risks shelters face when transferring animals to outside organizations and the importance of tracking their care after placement.