Oreo's Story
This story should upset anyone reading this. There is no excuse for any rescue to place a dog in this type of harm's way
Oreo is sadly yet another dog failed by Humans and Animals United. When you finish reading the timeline of events and exactly how this dog was failed, you may begin to realize that this is not a rescue that exercises even a modicum of care or concern when placing dogs in adoptive homes.
Here is the story that Rosa Fond, founder and owner of HAAU, spun about Oreo:
And here’s the REAL STORY about what truly happened to Oreo.
Oreo was pulled from Miami Dade Animal Services in July of 2024 and at last check, Humans and Animals United solicted over $10K in pledges/donations by hundreds of people spanning dozens of different pages on Facebook including LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
Once out of Miami Dade Animal Services, HAAU had their “private transporter” Mary Ann Czelusniak aka Mary Ann Linney, drive Oreo all the way to Upstate NY from Miami – an over 1,400 mile drive. Even though there were hundreds of offers to foster and adopt Oreo from people much closer to Miami, they decided that Oreo should go to an adopter who lived clear across the country. As you read more, you’ll understand why.
The person they choose to allow to adopt Oreo is an elderly disabled man who was suffering from stage 4 cancer. In addition to that, he did not have a fenced in yard. We’ll refer to him as “David” as he has requested his identity be protected. HAAU was made aware of David’s circumstances and lack of a fenced in yard yet didn’t hesitate to bring Oreo to him in New York all the way from Miami.
Mary Ann is one of Human and Animals United’s “paid” volunteers. Working as the rescue’s private transporter, she arrived at David’s home around 11 p.m. and brought Oreo inside. She did not conduct a home check other than to stand in the living room for five minutes before taking Oreo’s harness off and leaving. She did not step one foot beyond that point or discuss anything with David regarding Oreo.
Mary Ann left Oreo with no collar, no leash, no food, no treats, no heartworm preventatives – nothing other than Oreo himself. Despite an incredible amount of pledges made by hundreds of people thinking they would go towards Oreo’s care.
What we’ve come to learn is even more unsettling. Oreo had a microchip implanted while at the shelter. HAAU never bothered to register this microchip, something David found out when he took Oreo to his follow-up vet visit. It is believed that this rescue purposely fails to register any of the microchips that have been implanted at the shelter and the reason is bone chilling – they simply do not want any of their rescue dogs to come back to them. Once the dog is off their hands, it’s OFF THEIR HANDS.
This rescue makes it very difficult for anyone to return a dog by imposing harsh fees that make it cost prohibitive for many people to absorb. Even their “adoption contract” has a clause that states if a dog needs to be returned back to the rescue, the adopter has to pay all the transportation costs. This would explain why they send so many of their dogs so far away from their home turf of Brooksville, Florida. While we don’t know the exact amount this rescue charges people to transport dogs back to them when things go wrong, we believe it is cost prohibitive for many and most people do not opt to return their dog because of the expense. Because of this, it is believed that when things go wrong, many dogs – all pitbull and bully breeds, get dumped at shelters and don’t make it out alive – or worse.
Here is Rosa threatening an adopter that was unable to keep the dog. Rosa makes it clear sending the dog back will not be cheap
This blatant disregard for the welfare of the dog and refusal to stand by the dogs she claims so much to care about is the very reason so many fear for the safety of every dog Rosa Fond “rescues”.
Shortly after being given Oreo, David brought Oreo to the Vet for a follow up visit. Prior to adopting Oreo, he was told by Barbara Ranberg Smith AKA Barbara Queenbee, that HAAU would pay for this visit. He contacted Barbara to be reimbursed for this vet visit and was ignored. Barbara had been David’s only point of contact from the beginning, and she was very responsive to him prior to Oreo being dropped off, however, when David attempted to be reimbursed for Oreo’s vet visit, Barbara ignored his calls and to this day, David has never been reimbursed for that vet visit – pretty sad considering they took in OVER $10K for Oreo.
Not long after adopting Oreo, David claims that he was bitten. He became fearful of Oreo and claims that Oreo was “aggressive”. He was told by the rescue that he would have to pay for the cost of transporting Oreo back to them along with the cost of boarding. With no animal control in the area that David resides, no support from Rosa Fond and short on options, he decided to surrender Oreo to the local Police. Things did not go well, and the Police informed David he could not surrender his dog, yet David did so anyway and was arrested and charged with Animal Abandonment. His charges are pending.
Once in Police custody, Oreo was turned over to the ASPCA who ultimately adopted Oreo out, citing that Humans And Animals United were not part of that process in any way. After making in upwards of $10K off of Oreo, the rescue turned their backs on him and David and completely washed their hands of Oreo.
There’s a lot to unpack here. What we’re seeing is a rescue that literally dumps dogs on anyone, the further away the better and then provides zero support to the adopter after they’ve pocketed thousands of dollars. And when we say “dump” we really mean it. They provide very misleading updates, if any, where they essentially lie about where the dog truly is. They go out of their way to evade any responsibility for the dogs they pull which is why they do not register most microchips. They simply do not want to be responsible should anything go wrong, which is often times the case – the public never knows about these occurances – only what the rescue wants the public to know. What this “rescue” wants people to know is that they are “The best rescue out there” and anyone who has anything to say is “Jealous” and “animal abusers”.
Jamie Mateo is one of Barbara Queenbee's fake profiles
FAKE UPDATE ON OREO
The above comment made by Barbara Queenbee, second in command at this rescue, was a blatant lie.
The picture she posted is of Oreo at MaryAnn Czelusniak’s home prior to being transported to his adopter in Upstate New York and prior to Oreo being abandoned by his adopter. Barbara seems to have forgotten about all of the “updates” she has posted of the same exact sofa in the same exact environment which we’ve been able to confirm from trusted sources is in fact, MaryAnn’s home. Read more about MaryAnn here.
How’s that for being caught in a lie?
Per David’s account – Rosa and Barbara made fun of his cancer, made fun of him being arrested and threatened to craft a false narrative about him and post it on Facebook to discredit any of his allegations.
If you find it hard to believe that any person, much less the owner of a dog rescue, would mock a man dying of cancer and threaten to smear him on social media if he didn’t stay quiet – think again. Here’s proof of Rosa Fond doing just that to others she has tried to silence.
"I'm making a post with your pics and all your bullshit, I swear, you will be outed as an animal abuser"
"You will not be dealing with me in the future but with men that will handle the situation"
Rosa threatening to call someone's employer after they expressed concern over what happens to her dogs
Rosa will "make a post publicly"
While collecting pledges for Oreo's care, Rosa and her "paid volunteer" wax about how much they love Oreo and how "he will always have us"
Knowing Oreo had minimal “issues”, Barbara “Queenbee” misleads people into thinking they are going to need a lot of donations due to “lots of issues”.
Oreo had a minor skin condition as most shelter dogs do, and an ear infection.
After soliciting over $10K for Oreo, the rescue wouldn’t even pay his adopter for his follow up vet visit.
GRAVE CONCERNS
- Oreo generated close to $10k in pledges and donations for Humans and Animals United
- Despite having numerous foster and adoption offers for Orea, HAAU chose to send Oreo to Upstate NY from Miami – over 1,400 miles.
- HAAU’s choice of a foster was a man with stage 4 cancer and no fenced in yard.
- HAAU neglected to register Oreo’s chip to their rescue which we believe is common practice for them so they are not contacted at any point should something happen to any of their dogs once adopted.
- HAAU adoptions are immediate despite what they inform the public of. There are rarely any “fosters”. This is designed to keep those pledges coming. HAAU typically has a designated adopter prior to pulling the dog from the shelter. The reasoning for this is so they can collect on those pledges which typically are in upwards of $10K per dog. If people knew the dog had been adopted, they are less likely to honor their pledge.
- Oreo required minimal vet care and was seen by HAAU’s vet once pulled from the shelter, having been found to have an ear infection. Orea had been previously neutered and also qualified for the Sun Program. The Sun Program in Dade County, Florida offers financial incentives to rescues for certain dogs – just another profit center for HAAU to take full advantage of.
Oreo was transported from Miami to NY by Mary Ann Czelusniak aka Mary Ann Linney and dropped off after 11 p.m. She stayed for only five minutes and then left without leaving so much as a collar, leash or food for Oreo.
Humans and Animals United’s.”private transports” paid for with donor funds circumvent USDA guidelines for rescue animal transport. Dogs being delivered to adopters in the “dark of the night” where only their inner circle and “paid private transporter” know where their dogs actually end up. No one else would know where the dog is.
- HAAU refused to pay for Oreo’s follow up vet visit.
HAAU ignored David when he brought his concerns about Oreo to their attention.
- HAAU did not go pick up Oreo, post for another adopter or foster nor did they update any of the many people who donated for Oreo, wanting to see him placed in a good home.
- HAAU left Oreo with the SPCA and shirked all responsibility for Oreo.
Rosa Fond taunted and threatened David to prevent him from speaking up and going public with his experience. This is something she has done to many others and it’s all documented, just as this unfortunate experience was.
Oreo deserved better than to be exploited for financial gain only to find himself once again, abandoned at another shelter
After Rosa and company collected in upwards of $10K for Oreo, after they dumped him with a man that was in no condition to take in a dog like Oreo, after they shirked their responsibility to Oreo and abandoned him with the SPCA to clean up THEIR mess and after all of the praise and pats on the back by hundreds upon hundreds of donors, Rosa Fond has the audacity to state that they are the “best rescue” out there.
This very disturbing story about Oreo was something we weren’t supposed to know about which leads us to believe that there are many more dogs like Oreo that have met a terrible fate once pulled, exploited for financial gain and carelessly dumped on people who are the worst possible fit for the dog – setting them up to fail time and time again.
We do not know where Oreo is today, but he was fortunate to have found himself at the SPCA who exercised great care in finding him a new adoptive home. The kind people that donated over $10K thinking they would be saving his life and that he would go on to be cared for by this rescue and ultimately placed in a loving home – all got scammed, just like virtually everyone else who has ever donated their money to this “rescue”.