What a nice guy giving from his heart. I do understand about having smoke alarms but can't the city look the other way this guy is doing some good. I would like to see an up date.

Wow, that is awesome!

Great man! The city needs to stop. He is a humanitarian. Those animals would have been killed!

I checked the store's website, and Josh did get the donations he needed for the sprinkler system. There's a note on the website: "A sincere thank you to everyone who has donated money to help Josh get the necessary pet store permits & install a fire alarm and sprinkler system." And he's still doing rescue work; 2002 animals adopted as of the last update. Very cool!

The law is the law, but can't there be an exception made just this one time.

Good man! Needs help!

The city should be working to help him in this endeavor--it saves them the trouble of dealing with the animals in the long run. At least be flexible on time limits so long as he is actively working to meet code

Josh Pasewaldt must've been a Marine -- innovate, adapt, overcome.

I always thought that we should ban pet stores and have the stores be a front for shelter animals. This guy is trying to help, has volunteers,.etc. Why don't they make an arrangement for him to continue, to help and not hinder

Very sad situation...

It is sad that animals that would be otherwise euthanized are caught in the middle of government bureacracy.

How frustrating to see such a success story and the officials want to shut it down. It's too bad they can't find a way to work with this man to keep it open.

What a nice man doing such wonderful and selfless things to save these dogs. The people complaining about this should help him, not threaten to shut things down. Shame on them!

the man is saving lives of animals, ones that would be put to sleep otherwise, i understand the law and it would be a good idea for a sprinkler system, but work with him on it, maybe a local company would be willing to help, or a couple of them, get lots of exposure in the news, and i think $60 is to low charge $70 thats still reasonable for mostand maybe that will help some costs, i am routing for him, zootoo we need update please

I guess we really need regulations, but this seems too rigid. Work with the guy that is trying to help the animals....don't work against him.

What is wrong with people they are always after the good guy.

Oh come on, Give me a BREAK. Let us look beyond textbook and look at the good deeds the man has accomplished basically WITHOUT compensation. You definitely don't do this for the money!

They don't seem to be concerned about the well-being of the 20,000 being put to sleep.

Kern county animal shelter put to death 20,000 animals a year. It sounds more like a morgue than an animal shelter. It would be great if zootoo could give us an update on this story.

What a remarkable young man! I certainly hope he was able to get the required funds to help keep him going.

This man goes out of his way to offer so many of these animals a second chance at life before it is too late. May his efforts be commended, and may many small miracles occur to help fund the additions.

Good guy! There should be more like him in the world!

This is an amazing man. his heart is definitely in the right place and devoted to something that he thinks is right. it is people like this that make me smile through all of the bad things that also happen to animals. I also agree with some of the other people on here saying that if this man can get animals adopted why can't the shelter? isn't that the shelters mission to get as many animals adopted and see less animals killed for the reason of being unadoptable.

Why can't the killing shelter get these animals adopted if this man can. We started a program is Milwaukee Wi. where animals that were being murdered that they would keep 20 or 30 animals alive until they were adopted. If one got adopted they would bring another up from being murdered.If these were children ready to be adopted they wouldn't put them down.

This man's heart is in the right place but he needs to follow the law. I would hope that he can properly house the animals or maybe find an appropriate place to do his "saving".

Maybe he should use his store as an offsite location for the shelter that he gets his animals from and then he is not selling them he is just holding them for the shelter while they get adopted.

Hopefully this rescuer and savior of the animals from the shelter got the money he needed to update his place to a shelter as the police required!

There are too few animal angels like this beautiful man to have him shut down.

I would think he would sell the dogs for 70 or 80 dollars so he makes profit but he's doing something really good. I hope he stayed in service because this was posted in march.

you would think his costs would offset any taxes he should have to pay.

Good to see this guy is still doing his good work.

If there were only more selfless people like in him the world, alot of problems would cease to exist.

Awww, the guy is doing such a GOOG good deed and I hate to see him forced to stop. But the aniamls safety comes first and fire precautions and prevention is needed.

This poor guy essentially was acting like any shelter or rescue. Glad to see hes still up and running though!!!!

well it's ludocris for the man to pay taxes he's not even making money , he is putting his own money up to fund the puppies care , then selling them for the vets costs, the county should be proud to have a kind citizen and good role model that is helping with the animal population

UPDATE May 29, 2008, update on Josh Pasewaldt: "Prices go up as puppy salesman must pay taxes By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com A tiny puppy whimpered nonstop for attention until Josh Pasewaldt picked him up. Then the small German shepherd/mystery mix fell sound asleep in his rescuer's hand. The mutt is one of almost 1,000 dogs whose life has been saved by the owner of Newbury Park Feed and Pet Supply, who drives to Kern County twice a week to fill his car with puppies scheduled for euthanasia at crowded kennels. For about a year Pasewaldt had been rescuing dogs from the Bakersfield area and charging $60 each for them, the price he pays the animal shelters. Then the Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control got involved, and Pasewaldt learned he must make about $4,000 worth of improvements at his pet supply store at 67 N. Reino Road or shut down. "Our officers only go out after there is a complaint. The public is our eyes and ears, but sometimes people make complaints that we find are not correct," said Michelle Roache, deputy director of Los Angeles Animal Care and Control. "We did not find any evidence of unclean conditions," Roache said. But the animal control officer did find the store needed to follow certain rules, such as installing fire protection equipment, she said. "We're a lot like health inspectors at restaurants. We have a list of things we check on when we are out," Roache said. Because of personnel issues, they don't make regular visits to every place that sells pets, she said. "I think Josh Pasewaldt is doing a really good thing. He's really done a lot of good for those animals," Roache said. After making improvements that ranged from the simple placement of a sign in his window saying how he could be reached in an emergency to the more extensive installation of a sprinkler system to protect the puppies & kittens kept in kennels inside the store from fire, he learned the wording on his newly acquired permit required more. "My accountant told me I have to pay back sales tax on the puppies I sold. That comes to about $4,000 again. It always seems to be about $4,000 more," Pasewaldt said. He already works in the red because he doesn't charge for the time or gas he uses to drive to get the pups. Nonprofit rescues that charge $150 to $800 for dogs rescued from shelters have told him they're frustrated because he undersells them & they must keep their organizations in the black, he said. Pasewaldt has raised his prices: Now he sells the pups for $60 plus tax. That comes to nearly $5 more. No one has complained about the increase, he said. People are still coming from all over to get a puppy. Pasewaldt makes them fill out a bit more paperwork, but the little dogs are still going out the door at about the same rate as he can bring them in. He now brings a tape measure with him when he chooses which dogs to bring back. He used to look for healthy & loving dogs, but now he must also look at their size because he's only allowed to have so many total inches of dogs in the four 36-square-foot kennels, he said. Still, kennels are filled with shredded newspaper & puppies sleeping, chasing each other or just wagging their tails trying to make eye contact with those shopping for baby canines. "It's puppy & kitten season & shelters are full," Pasewaldt said. He's helping out as much as he can by saving dogs who are close to being put to sleep. The other day he got a mother dog & her pups out just in time. The mother has been adopted along with one of her pups. The other puppies were going fast, with only 2 of 7 left. "The animal shelters make sure the animals I adopt are altered & have shots before they leave there," Pasewaldt said. His store is across from Newbury Park High School, near Borchard Rd. It is open from 9-6 Mon-Sat & noon-4 Sunday. People looking for dogs are under no pressure to take one because dogs rescued by Pasewaldt are no longer under threat of euthanization. A dog may be returned within 5 days for a full refund as long as explanation is given as to why the dog did not work out so the pet store can make a better placement the next time."www.toacorn.com Another article (excerpted) "Twice a week, Josh drives 130 miles to the Kern County animal shelter & "adopts" dozens of dogs & cats. Then he brings them back to *his* pet store to give away [NOTE: Not exactly. Josh readopts them, recouping only his cost, plus tax.]. He's spent a fortune on gas, but as far as he's concerned, the animals are worth it. Apparently a dog or cat from Newbury Park Pet Supply is considered a "badge of honor"."www.knx1070.com Newbury Park Pet Supply, 67 N.Reino Road, Newbury Park, CA 91320. 805-498-2415 We're located down the street from Newbury Park High S

Where has money gone that shelter has collected from in for these adoptions? seems to me there should have been thousands in revenue{1000 x adoption $}.I think this shelter could assist in some way.He has done such a great service for them ,their cause and the animals.Best of luck!!

why mess with a good thing.this man was doing a great deed all the way around.If the city is so concerned then why don't the officials jump in and help this good hearted man out

I hope he is able to raise all of the money he needs. I'm sure that if he figured out a way to save all of those animals, he will be able to raise the funds he needs!

I sure hope that he was able to come up with the needed cash to continue his pliot to save the animals.

This is great! And seeing how the Animal Control facility is supporting him, they should really get off his back until he's able to upgrade himself to their standards. Everyone, spread the word and let's get this guy some cash! Post this story everywhere you can!

Wow this guy is very nice! Good luck!

It's so wonderful that he is doing that. I really hope that he gets the money that he needs.

this guy should get an award!

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can he not get permits to be a rescue?? I know some of the required updates are needed but still. I too hope there is an update on this!

This generous hearted guy had good intentions, but took in more than he could handle

Wish there was a different link, too; the one provided goes to the store's site right enough - but there's no mention about donations or close down or.. I hope there's an update on this story.

This guy sounds like he has a huge heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I understand the city's side because it is about the welfare of the animals. That said, with 20,000+ euthanized, i would hope the city would at least give him an extension. He is doing a lot of good and it would be awful to lose that kind of support.