Rescue dog killed by Cate Sacks. Dream Dog Academy. El Cajon CA

10/17/2026

CATE SACKS MUST BE EXPOSED AND STOPPED.

It's outrageous that she has continued to operate an illegal kennel and boarding facility for over a decade. Unchecked.
There can be NO more ILLEGAL, UNLICENSED boarding and dog training and operation of a dog kennel at this Palomino address.

Enough is enough.

TO THIS VERY DAY, Oct 17, 2026 we still don't know what really happened to our little rescue dog, Sandy~ because of the DOZENS of lies told by Cate Sacks and her pal, Linda Septon at the shelter. We know Sandy is dead from the public records we had to request and we saw the date.
We never got his little broken body back because Mrs Sacks waited 2 weeks to tell us that she had killed him. All the while, those 2 weeks ~~she was pretending as though she was still training him, when she knew she had killed him, and he was clearly dead. Is the kind of person who should be out in our community holding herself out as a dog trainer?

Concerned animal advocates of Southern California thought a lawsuit for FRAUD and public exposure would be enough. Apparently not. Let be know, that we don't plan to stop speaking up about this until this place is shuttered once and for all.

Animal lovers across the country are wondering how the horrors of MIRANDA'S RESCUE could happen? Or the Julian hoarding case ? Know these nightmares do not happen in a vacuum. It takes people covering for each other. Authorities who cower or worse just don't care. Too many people LOOKING THE OTHER WAY. It takes years to expose, why?

Along with Cate Sacks blatant illegal kennel, bootcamp ~and despite our best efforts, there still looms the question of the fate of hundreds of animals who were handed over to her by "Linda Septon" at Chula Vista animal shelter. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dogs. We have seen all the public records, frankly it's shocking. Mrs. Sacks flipped many for cash, but the rest?

Some, we know Cate Sacks returned to the shelter, she ordered at least 4 of those killed. "Adopted" them, and when they didn't fall into line fast enough, so she took them back and ordered them killed. Public records verify this. She took it upon herself to order dogs killed, not a single ONE of them had behavior issues mentioned during their entire stay at the shelter before she "adopted" them.

Imagine if you can, this same very Chula Vista shelter CITY EMPLOYEE (your tax dollars at work) taking it upon herself to BRAG IN WRITING about how she was a party to giving 830 animals to someone who wasn't even a 501c3 ? Someone who was operating an ILLEGAL KENNEL and ILLEGAL BOARDING FACILITY giving her terrified, orphaned animals every week. This letter below, was written by this shelter worker, after the two of them had just euthanized our 20 lb terrier and were conspiring to cover it up to this very day.

We've been saying for OVER A DECADE, how is this possible to give this many animals to a person who has no fosters, no adoption events, no home visits, a couple of volunteers? Those of us in the rescue community, who are REPUTABLE, know it's not easy to find GOOD homes for animals, even with all of those systems in place.

Sadly, nobody wanted to hear about it~ we were passed off as disgruntled trouble makers for speaking up because our rescue dog was murdered by Cate Sacks and she defrauded our dog rescue of over $4000.
No one wanted to hear about what was happening inside the gates of hell at: 9617 Palomino Ridge Drive, El Cajon, CA And apparently, as we've seen, there are some today who feel the same way.
( btw, this address still publicly listed on YELP as a dog trainer)

Chula Vista Animal Shelter, San Diego Animal Control, San Diego Board of Ethics Commission, City of Chula Vista, San Diego Sheriff's department, San Diego DA's office ~ all TURNED A BLIND EYE to this illegal facility for years.

Again, wondering how the horrors of MIRANA'S RESCUE could happen? Remember, these things do not happen in a vacuum. People know and decide to look the other way.

This "rescue coordinator" at Chula Vista took it upon herself to write a letter to a judge, when we were just trying to get thousands of dollars in "training fees" back for our rescue after they had BOTH had conspired to kill our Sandy and then cover it up.

And here we are years later....HOW MANY MORE DOGS HAD TO SUFFER because Cate and her husband Steele Sacks continue to thumb her nose at San Diego County ordinances and operate an illegal kennel, bootcamp, dog training facility? The neighbors deserve to live in a place where EVERYONE is following the law. Inspector Bark Animal Abusers Exposed

10/15/2026

San Diego Animal Control and Code Enforcement made a visit to the home of Steele and Cate Sacks on August 19, 2026 for an inspection after reports of continuing to operate their ILLEGAL KENNEL AND BOOTCAMP for DOGS. We'll be posting the PUBLIC RECORD HERE.

WHY DON'T THEY JUST STOP?

YELP currently lists their "dog training" facility at: 9617 Palomino Ridge Dr. El Cajon, CA 92040 619.813.1252. Of course, with so much advance warning there was nothing to see.

We know for a FACT, the Sacks have continued to defy county laws regarding the operation of their ILLEGAL KENNEL and ILLEGAL BOARDING FACILITY. Chula Vista Shelter management even bragged in writing on letterhead about the 800 dogs they gave her. WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND 800 dogs for a minute. We never found out what happened to those babies... some flipped for CASH. Never a home visit done. Some never altered. Some with behavior issues given to families when she KNEW they weren't good with kids. She loved those, they would bring them back, she'd keep their $400/$500 and READOPT THE DOGS AGAIN....

It's become apparent, that Catherine "Cate" Sacks has continued to "train" and "board" dogs and operate an ILLEGAL AND UNLICENSED "bootcamp" out of her home. Because the money is great, and well, LAWS DON'T APPLY TO HER or her husband, Steele.

It's unimaginable that people are STILL giving Cate Sacks their hard earned cash and leaving their DEFENSELESS dogs with her.

She continues to take thousands of dollars for her so called dog "training", we saw for ourselves, she uses ELECTRIC SHOCK COLLARS, DOGS BEING LEFT IN THE HEAT OUTSIDE, DOGS TIED TO CINDER BLOCKS. DOGS LOCKED IN CAGES. BARKING FOR HOURS. Her friend shared that Cate Sacks left her own family dog to suffocate and die in her car in the heat, when she "forgot" to take them in. Of course, they are no longer friends.

And my dog, Sandy, Cate Sacks drove to Chula Vista Shelter and ordered him KILLED after she collected over $4000. After she murdered him, a 20lb scruffy terrier ~~ Cate Sacks continued to send emails to me, pretending like she was still training Sandy for TWO MORE WEEKS, AFTER HE WAS DEAD.

What kind of piece of excrement does that? And to this day she claims she was "FRAMED". The lawsuit evidence tells a different story, the TRUTH. At the end of the day, Cate Sacks finally BEGGED TO SETTLE the case. Just like the guilty animal abuser she is.

She's like one of those SCAMMY CONTRACTORS WHO CHANGES THEIR NAME TO OUTRUN CUSTOMERS, Cate Sacks is using the identical playbook. Her HORRID "YELP" REVIEWS DISAPPEAR.

Here are but a FEW of the ridiculous names that Sacks floats around our community~ but you don't have to be fooled. Latest on her LinkedIn: LEARNING WITH LOVE DOG TRAINING AND FITNESS.

At the end of the day, what IS CLEAR, IS THAT Mrs. Sacks is ALL about the dollars. Dog owner after dog owner reported her greed is on full display, when she was FLIPPING SHELTER DOGS, she would have random "add on charges" at the last minute.

Oh... and here are some of the other names she uses: "Dream Dog Academy" "Shelter Dogs To Dream Dogs" "Cate Critters" and of course, SCM&K Enterprises.. Mr and Mrs. Sacks so called dog "RESCUE"?? You'll never find a business license for any of these names.

DO YOUR RESEARCH, YOUR DOG DESERVES IT..... AND SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW.

09/05/2026

UPDATE ON THE WOMAN WHO KILLED "SANDY THE RESCUE DOG" from Lucky Pup Dog Rescue: We recently heard through the grapevine that Cate Sacks was visited by Code Enforcement AND San Diego Animal Services last month August 2026. We'll be requesting a copy of the report that was generated and post it.
Cate Sack's home that is listed on the YELP page is zoned for 6 dogs max. She does NOT have a kennel license, never did, NEVER WILL. Seems her arrogant attitude of "laws don't apply to me" is about to catch up with her and her husband Steele Sacks.

In case you didn't KNOW ALREADY, THIS IS NOT A SAFE PLACE TO LEAVE YOUR DOG. She changes her business name, so you can't track the reviews of past clients. In short, your dog is in danger with this woman~ we know first hand, as she killed our rescue dog and tried to keep the $5000 she grifted from us at her "bootcamp". We also received credible reports that TWO of her own family dogs died in the El Cajon heat because of her negligence. One, she left in a hot car, and the other overheated from a walk. Her poor judgement has cost too many dogs to lose their lives. All the while she claims to be an "expert"???

Know this fraud and grifter couldn't help OR train a 20lb scuffy terrier, so she drove him to the shelter where her BFF worked and ordered him killed him ~ then pretended she still training him AFTER HE WAS DEAD. The story still shocks us to THIS VERY DAY. Oh, and remember too....the lawsuit we brought was settled after almost FIVE years... when she finally came to her senses and begged to settle.

07/30/2026

GEEEZUS THE GRIFT NEVER ENDS WITH THIS ONE:

Cate Sacks who ordered Sandy killed years back is now "Learning with LOVE Dog Training and Fitness"???? OR is she "Dream Dog Academy"?? Or is she one of the her FIVE OTHER NAMES????

Cate Sacks who STLL claims to be a dog trainer.... who couldn't even train a 20lb terrier who was brought to her by a local rescue who had saved him from the shelter.

The facts are not in dispute at all. Cate Sacks put him in her car and drove him to Chula Vista shelter and ORDERED him killed, and after he was DEAD, she pretended she was still training him for TWO MORE WEEKS.

Yet, all these years claims she still claims she was FRAMED? And the cherry on time: her attorney, Jack Lieb claimed that was not her signature on Sandy's EX*****ON ORDER.

You have been warned, the woman is not well. In our humble opinion: your dog is not safe on her property or in her care.

07/25/2026

Copy of the lawsuit that was settled in November 2019 after Catherine "Cate Sacks" took our little 20lb/ one year old rescue dog Sandy to the shelter and ordered him killed. Then continued for two more weeks to pretend she was still training, knowing FULL WELL she ordered him killed weeks earlier. SAN DIEGO DOG OWNERS BEWARE. She is still out in the community grifting dog owners for her "training" programs as "DREAM DOG ACADEMY" Your dog doesn't have to end up dead like our did.

07/23/2026

WONDER HOW THE NIGHTMARE OF HORROR AT "MIRANDA'S RESCUE" happened? They murdered hundreds of animals... and those in charge of enforcing our California Humane laws..... LOOKED THE OTHER WAY.... for years ???

Here in the San Diego, California area.....I want to share a story about a local self proclaimed "dog trainer" and "rescue". I've posted a letter stating Cate Sacks took 830 ANIMALS from a SINGLE shelter in a short time and it didn't raise concerns???

Cate Sacks has operated out of her home since 2010 with NO KENNEL LICENSE???? NO FOSTERS, NO ADOPTION EVENTS? A COUPLE OF VOLUNTEERS????
It doesn't take a genius to see something is off.

It's not easy to find GOOD HOMES for that many dogs. And as we now know, all you had to get a dog from Cate Sacks was to show up with a leash and some cash. Especially, since Chula Vista Shelter was giving her purebreds.... and keeping them from other rescue groups. The hundreds of public records we received show exactly that.
If she didn't like the dog, or couldn't "train" the dog.... she would return it to the shelter and they WOULD KILL THE DOG. We have records of at 4 dogs she returned and had killed. What kind of "trainer" or rescue does that?

This is issue is personal for me, because of what Cate Sacks did to me and my rescue organization in 2014. I tried to EXPOSE A GRIFTER AND ANIMAL ABUSER IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA when killed my dog and tried to cover it up. And while my lawsuit was settled, she just went on her way... claiming she was "framed". Laughable, if she was STILL GRIFTING DOG OWNERS.

And where did 800+ dogs go??? No fosters, no adoption events, dogs picked up in a truck from the shelter and taken to 9617 Palomino Ridge Dr El Cajon, CA 92040, a place with NO KENNEL LICENSE?

Worth a quick mention Linda Septon, Rescue Coordinator at Chula Vista who wrote the attached letter and Deputy Director of San Diego Animal Control, Dan DeSousa were HUSBAND AND WIFE at the time.

This monster, Cate Sacks is STILL TROLLING FOR VICTIMS IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA. She recently claimed SHE WILL NEVER STOP TAKING IN DOGS.

BEWARE: She use to call it "Shelter Dogs to Dream Dogs", NOW she calls it DREAM DOG ACADEMY. After all these years, still NO KENNEL LICENSE, NO BUSINESS LICENSE....NO REAL TRAINING.... This is a GREAT EXAMPLE of how this happens.

In short....I had the unfortunate nightmare of coming across CATE AND STEELE SACKS in El Cajon. She promoted herself as the local "dog whisperer". Cate Sacks took our dog on a Saturday afternoon in Chula Vista, LYING AND CLAIMING HE WAS HER DOG and THIS RESCUE COORDINATOR who later authored this letter killed him. Then she wrote this letter to a "judge" when we were tried to get our money back in small claims court. Together, they killed OUR DOG, and she wrote this letter months later.

Cate Sacks killed little Sandy after collecting nearly $5000 for "training fees" at her "bootcamp". AND AFTERWARDS, SAN DIEGO ANIMAL CONTROL AND CHULA VISTA ANIMAL CARE CIRCLED THE WAGONS TO HIDE WHAT THEY DID.
Cate Sacks even wrote emails for two weeks after our dog was dead, claiming she was still training him. And both CHULA VISTA and SAN DIEGO ANIMAL control KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE HAD DONE. And still proceeded assist in a cover up.

My rescue was hit with a "Do Not Adopt" from SD Animal Control and blasted this all across the state in RETALIATION. The allegations were absolutely unfounded and removed a few weeks later.
We sued this POS dog abuser, Cate Sacks and after almost 5 years, she begged to settle. Fix Our Shelters

07/17/2026

Anybody been wondering the hell Cate Sacks has been up to lately???? After killing Sandy and claiming she was FRAMED!!!! Dragging out a lawsuit for almost 5 years when she knew she was GUILTY AS HELL....

ANYONE. ANYONE??

I'll save everyone time, from the GOLD STANDARD OF RECORDS: This from the IRS ~ it looks like she is still operating her little "non profit". Doing her "charitable work" for the community? Odd, because she still doesn't have a KENNEL LICENSE.. been there since 2010 using it as a boarding facility and bootcamp (according to her own advertising) Heard through the grapevine CODE ENFORCEMENT paid her a visit today. Of course they had an appointment and had to pass through her gates. So she had plenty of time to make things look "legal", 6 or fewer dogs.

WOW! Are people SERIOUSLY LEAVING THEIR DOGS WITH THIS WOMAN at her home?

Apparently, because she told the IRS she collected $52,000 last year. Over $4,000 a MONTH for her "CHARITABLE WORK"??????
You can see what she is claiming she does on her mission statement.

We can also see Cate Sacks is trying to do some sort of "Dream Dog Academy" on YELP. Listing her phone number as 619.813.1252 9617 Palomino Ridge Drive El Cajon, CA 92040 curious, why does the website go to a place in New Jersey?

IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT SHE DID TO SANDY... SHARE FAR AND WIDE. This woman took little terrified rescue dog Sandy to the shelter AFTER SHE TORMENTED HIM FOR DAYS and ordered him killed, then pretended she was still training him AFTER HE WAS DEAD FOR TWO MORE WEEKS.

05/24/2024

It’s been 10 years since “Cate Sacks” had Sandy Killed.
Wonder what she is doing these days?

10/11/2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsMJTi6Ztpg And Judge Whitney's order to STOP BOARDING AND TRAINING hasn't stopped her. Lauren Marie Russell is like a cockroach and seems to have scampered off to Nashville and set up Next Door Accounts, Rover, FB.... even a new website "So Fetch K9 Boarding and Training) It's her 15th new name for her business in the last several years. And using new names: Michelle (her mothers name), Kelli Anne, Marie....THIS WOMAN IS A SERIAL DOG ABUSER. Beware. www. PerfectPupsOhanaEXPOSED.com

DISCLAIMER: Some of the content in this story and video may be disturbing to some. A San Diego County judge ordered a woman in Vista to shut down her dog tra...

10/11/2023

Another GRIFTER/DOG ABUSER EXPOSED in San Diego County. Lauren Marie Russell. Lauren Marie The Dog Trainer. AKA Kelli Anne, Michelle, Marie. Perfect Pups Ohana, and 14 other business names.
Seems Cate Sacks gave her a referral for an attorney, Jack Lieb. Mr Lieb must be starting a speciality at his law firm for local dog abusers..... and Cate and Lauren staring a support group because they are victims and this whole thing is a witch hunt. . .
https://thecoastnews.com/vista-dog-trainer-facing-allegations-of-animal-abuse-neglect/?fbclid=IwAR1fvyxRX_TMFYYq6qn5KeFSzgPkyM2RUNk3U1ddmdP3eOWeLgsQ1YVQclk

A Vista dog trainer who allegedly ran a fraudulent dog-boarding business out of her home is facing allegations of animal abuse.