CITYOFLAVERNE
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON
DECEMBER 16, 2025
ACTION MINUTES
See Italics"
CALL TO ORDER — Meeting called to order at 4:04 PM
ROLL CALL Council Member Steven F. Johnson, Council Member Wendy Lau, Council Member Rick Crosby, Mayor Pro Tem Meshal " Kash" Kashifalghita, and Mayor Tim Hepburn Council Members Present: Crosby, Johnson, Kashifalghita, and Hepburn.
Council Members Absent: Lau
Advisory Staff Present: City Manager Domer, and City Attorney Hall Barlow PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - led by Mayor Pro Tem Kashifalghita
PUBLIC HEARING - APPEAL OF MENACING DOG DETERMINATION
1. Appeal of the Inland Valley Humane Society's menacing dog determination is being made by dog owner Richard Espinoza.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: Nikole Bresciani, CEO/President Inland Valley Humane Society SWEARING IN OF WITNESSES - Witnesses giving testimony were sworn in by the Deputy City Clerk.
APPELLANT TESTIMONY - Appellant Espinoza presented his case.
COUNCIL QUESTIONS/COMMENTS - Council asked clarifying questions regarding testimony given.
INLAND VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY TESTIMONY - Officer Espinoza presented the facts of the case/investigation, with follow-up testimony from Officer Gonzales ADDITIONAL WITNESS TESTIMONY - Kaylie Arola testified to the incident on 8/18/25 where she was bitten by Phat Girl, while trying to protect her sister, Chloe Arola who was bitten by Rihanna.
Valerie Espinoza, parent to Kaylie Arola also testified to the events on 8/18/25.
REBUTTAL TESTIMONY - Appellant Espinoza gave rebuttal testimony.
Meeting recessed into Closed Session at 5:05 PM, per City Attorney Barlow a decision will be rendered within 10 days.
Minutes
CLOSED SESSION
City Council 12/16/2025 Page 2
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING EXISTING OR ANTICIPATED LITIGATION ( pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9) City Council's decision was to uphold the findings of Inland Valley Humane Society. See attached decision letter.
Respectfully submitted,
4- .
Debra Fritz, CM
Deputy City Clerk
City of La Verne
BEFORE CITY OF LA VERNE
CITY COUNCIL
IN THE MATTER OF
RICHARD ESPINOZA, II,
Appellant,
REGARDING Potentially Dangerous Dog
Hearing of September 9, 2025
FINDINGS AND DETERMINATION UPHOLDING
DECISION OF HEARING OFFICER HAROLD W.
HOLMES, ESQ.
The City Council of the City of La Verne, having on December 16, 2025 completed the hearing on the appeal of Richard Espinoza, II (" Espinoza") to the Hearing Findings and Decision of County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control Executive Assistant, Harold W. Homes, Esq., dated September 29, 2025, hereby makes the following Findings and Determination.
I. Background Facts.
On August 21, 2025, Espinoza' dogs " Rhianna" and " Phat Girl" were impounded from his residence at 816 Lake Avenue, La Verne, California 91750 by the Inland Valley Humane Society (" IVHS").
IVHS sought a Vicious Dog declaration for " Rhianna" and a Potentially Dangerous Dog declaration for Phat Girl." Espinoza requested a hearing. Subsequently, IVHS also sought Potentially Dangerous Dog declarations for Espinoza's dogs " Gilligan" and " Zeus." A hearing was held beginning on September 9, 2025, continuing on September 15, 2025, and concluding on September 29, 2025. The hearing included substantial testimony from witnesses, investigators and Espinoza. The testimony is described thoroughly in the Hearing Findings and Decision dated September 29, 2025, so we do not repeat it here. 1 After hearing and considering all the testimony and evidence, the hearing officer determined that IVHS had established the following facts:
1. " Rhianna" bit Ryan RUSSELL ON April 24, 2025, causing a severe injury, bit Chloe ARP:A on August 18, 2025, causing a severe injury, and bit Tristan AROLA on an unknown date in September 2024.
2. " Phat Girl" bit Ryan RUSSELL on April 24, 2025, bit Kaylie AROLA ON August 18, 2025, and demonstrated a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury, or to otherwise threaten the safety of human beings on August 18, 2025.
3. " Gilligan" demonstrated a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury, or to otherwise threaten the safety of human beings on April 24, 2025, and bit Kaylie AROLA on August 18, 2025.
4. " Zeus" demonstrated a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury, or to otherwise threaten the safety of human beings on April 24, 2025, and August 18, 2025.
The hearing officer therefore declared Rhianna to be a Vicious Dog and ordered her to be humanely euthanized. Phat Girl, Gilligan and Zeus were each declared to be a Potentially Dangerous Dog, and the hearing officer imposed terms and conditions for their continued ownership and maintenance. IVHS has retained custody of Rhianna and Phat Girl pending appeal and/or compliance with the order. Portions of the order were stayed pending appeal.
Espinoza appealed the hearing officer's decision to the La Verne City Council pursuant to the terms of La Verne Municipal Code section 6.25.050. Espinoza was duly notified that the appeal would be heard at a special meeting of the City Council to be held on December 16, 2025.
II. The Appeal Hearing.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Hepburn. Mayor Pro Tem Kashifalghita, and Council 2 Members Crosby and Johnson were also in attendance. Council Member Lau was absent. The Mayor advised the parties that they had been provided with all evidence previously submitted, as well as the written decision of the hearing officer in advance of the appeal hearing and all members had read the information. He stated the rules for the hearing, including time limits for public comment, and the presentation of evidence and argument. Espinoza appeared at the Appeal Hearing on his own behalf.
All witnesses were sworn by the Deputy City Clerk. Public comment was permitted on the matter in accordance with the requirements of the Brown Act. Espinoza was given fifteen ( 15) minutes to present his evidence and argument in support of his appeal. IVHS was given fifteen ( 15) minutes to present its evidence and argument in support of the hearing officer's decision. Espinoza was then given an additional five ( 5) minutes to rebut any of IVHS's evidence and closing argument.
A. Mr. Espinoza's Case.
Mr. Espinoza provided both testimony and argument during his initial presentation. He did not provide any additional evidence which the Council found relevant to its decision. In sum, he offered multiple print outs from Google Al and the ASPCA website referencing dogs' responses to persons using methamphetamines and fentanyl, heroin, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, so-called " bath salts," metabolism rates for alcohol and marijuana and factors affecting the rates, detection of THC metabolites and alcohol through testing, undated printouts of news articles, one including a date of April 22, 2015, a copy of a post from October 2024 including a family photo of Valerie Espinoza's family, including two of the children who were bitten, copies of a declaration from his mother and co-owner of the dogs, Virginia Espinoza dated September 5, 2025, which appears to have been submitted during the underlying hearing, as was Espinoza's of the same date ( Exhibit 38); however, we cannot ascertain from the record whether it was admitted into evidence or if it was given an exhibit numbers. The Google Al and ASPCA website printouts were not admitted into evidence as they are irrelevant to these s
Virginia Espinoza was present at the underlying hearing but did not testify. 3 proceedings, particularly since Espinoza failed to offer any evidence that any of the victims of the bites which presaged this matter were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of any of the attacks, or that any had been tested for such substances. Espinoza's speculation that any drug or alcohol use triggered the attacks is unsubstantiated by evidence of any kind. For the same reason, we decline to admit the print outs of news stories or summaries, which do not appear to have any bearing on the events which led to this proceeding. While we admit the declaration of Virginia Espinoza, the absence of any live testimony, either in the proceedings before the hearing officer or here, make them essentially hearsay with little value or weight.
B. IVHS's Case.
In support of the hearing officer's decision, the following witnesses testified: Kaylie Arola ( one of the victims), Valerie Espinoza ( mother of Kaylie and step - mother of victim Chloe Arola and a witness to the events), IVHS Officer Stephanie Aldaco and IVHS Officer Robert Gonzalez. Each of these witnesses credibly testified to the events which are detailed in the hearing officer's Findings and Decision.
C. Espinoza's Rebuttal.
Mr. Espinoza clearly cares deeply for his dogs. However, Espinoza failed, in either his own testimony or in contradictory evidence or rebuttal, to undermine or challenge the substance of the critical events. Indeed, he never offered credible evidence that the bite incidents which form the basis for the decision appealed did not occur or were not attributable to his dogs. His efforts to blame the victims who were bitten have no evidentiary support. Assumptions, inuendoes and speculation fueled Espinoza's entire argument. While he loves his dogs, which is commendable, he failed to demonstrate that the hearing officer's decision is incorrect or that the conditions imposed are unreasonable or cannot be implemented.
III. The Imposed Penalty and Conditions.
The hearing officer declared Rhianna to be Vicious Dog, determining that she must be humanely 4 euthanized to protect the public health and safety. Phat Girl, Gilligan and Zeus were all declared Dangerous Dogs under the law, requiring that they may be kept — whether by Espinoza or someone else only if certain conditions are met. Espinoza offered no evidence or argument that the conditions imposed by the hearing officer on Espinoza in order to keep Phat Girl, Gilligan and/or Zeus on his property were infeasible, unreasonable, or impracticable. Nor did he challenge the time period in which the required conditions must be met in order to maintain custody of Gilligan and Zeus or to have Phat Girl returned to his or another's custody. Finally, he failed to challenge the duration of Dangerous Dog designations for Phat Girl, Gilligan or Zeus.
IV. Determination.
The City Council adopts the hearing officer's factual findings and upholds the decision of the Hearing Officer to declare Rhiana a Vicious Dog and Phat Girl, Gilligan and Zeus to be Potentially Dangerous. Further, the City Council upholds the determination that Rhiana should be humanely euthanized and the conditions imposed for retention/return of Gilligan, Zeus and Phat Girl should be fully implemented as set forth in the Hearing Findings and Decision dated September 29, 2025. These conditions apply whether Espinoza wishes to take/retain custody of the dogs or whether they are housed elsewhere.
DATED: December 24, 2025
IM HEPBURN, MAYO
We concur:
Meshal Kashifalghita, Mayor Pro Tem
Rick Crosby, Council Member
Steven F. Johnson, Council Member
Council Member Wendy Lau took no part in the hearing or determination of this matter. 5