PHOENIX - A Chandler woman at the center of a high-profile animal cruelty case has been sentenced.
Latest:
FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum has learned that April McLaughlin has been sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, with credit for time already served. She will also be put on a seven-year probation following her release, and is not allowed to have any animals.
Besides jail time, our previous report stated that McLaughlin also agreed to pay at least $173,000 in restitution, including $124,000 to her mother Kathleen, as part of a plea agreement.
The backstory:
McLaughlin ran a rescue for special needs dogs before allegations of fraud and animal abuse surfaced in 2023.
The 50-year-old had two cases against her—one for animal cruelty charges and another for fraud and theft. One of the alleged victims is her elderly mother, who was living in McLaughlin’s home in September 2023 when authorities discovered 55 special needs dogs living in their own waste, as well as five dead dogs in a freezer. Investigators described the situation as a biohazard with "unbreathable" conditions.
April McLaughlin
Prosecutors say McLaughlin used her non-profit to receive nearly $50,000 in cash and supplies to deceive dog owners and rescue groups. She’s also accused of stealing $160,000 from her mother’s bank account. Trial was supposed to start back in July, and a new date has not been set. McLaughlin is charged with more than 20 counts related to animal cruelty and neglect.
In December 2025, we reported that McLaughlin had taken a plea deal, and pleaded guilty to four charges, including:
- Fraudulent Schemes & Artifices
- Taking the Identity of Another Person
- Two counts of Intentionally Subjecting a Domestic Animal to Cruel Mistreatment
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from previous FOX 10 news reports on the matter.