A California man whose Marana pet store closed suddenly after selling a $2,700 puppy that died is back in business in the Tucson area, public records show
The shuttered Marana store’s owner, Rickie Gallardo, 25, is linked to a new store at Park Place mall that sells puppies from large-scale, out-of-state breeders known as puppy mills, records show.
Pets at Park Place, which opened in November, was registered as an Arizona corporation with the same email address used in 2020 to register the Marana store, which also sold puppy mill pets, an Arizona Daily Star investigation found.
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The Marana store, which folded after four months, and the new Tucson store both were registered from Galllado’s email address. The San Diego native describes himself online as a former foster child who was “arrested numerous times for different crimes” before becoming a self-made millionaire at age 21.
Gallardo’s social media posts are sprinkled with Bible quotes about prosperity and with get-rich-quick videos that show him flaunting Rolex watches, foreign sports cars and $100 bills.
There’s no mention of two California lawsuits in 2020 that accused him of illicit business practices, cases in which Gallardo agreed to pay a total of $230,000 in settlements, court records show.
One suit claimed Gallardo was part of an interstate network that sold puppy mill puppies falsely advertised as rescues, a case he settled out of court for $30,000, records show. The other suit accused Gallardo of theft for failing to return a $170,000 loan mistakenly deposited into his pet store bank account. He agreed in that case to a stipulated judgment that required him to repay $200,000 including interest and legal fees.
In the past three years, Gallardo and a handful of San Diego business partners have moved from California to Arizona to Texas and back, selling puppies along the way, records show.
The new Park Place store is run by Victor Cruz Martinez of San Diego, the CEO of Gallardo’s old California pet store, who also worked at one of his Texas stores before relocating to Tucson, public records show. Martinez did not respond to two requests for comment sent to the email address of the Park Place store.
The vice president of Gallardo’s failed Marana store now operates Pet Fair at The Woodlands, a mall near Houston. The treasurer now runs Pick A Pet at an outlet mall in San Marcos south of Austin, records show.
AZ ‘prime destination’ for puppy mills
Gallardo’s reappearance in Tucson has fueled concern that Arizona is becoming a magnet for out-of-state puppy sellers now banned from doing business in dozens of cities, towns and counties in nearby states.
“Arizona has become a prime destination for the puppy mill industry,” said Nicole Galvan of Phoenix, Arizona Team Leader for Bailing out Benji, a national nonprofit working to ban such businesses. Many more puppy sellers are expected to follow as they are forced to relocate in search of new customers, she said.
The pet store industry can be lucrative. A puppy mill dog that a store buys for $500 might sell for $5,000 or more depending on breed and market location, according to national groups that monitor such sales.
Gallardo makes no apologies for his practices. He disputed the Star’s findings in an email, but offered no evidence to contradict the contents of public records in three states including court documents, business registration records and animal welfare inspection reports.
“For the past 1,000+ years dogs have been sold and overtime (sic) the regulations have insured (sic) safe and responsible breeding that allows us to provide wonderful families healthy puppies,” Gallardo wrote, accusing the Star of bias against a legitimate business enterprise.
“We only work with responsible breeders and treat our animals with the utmost dignity, respect and care,” he said.
“It’s amazing how the liberal agenda has made its way into selling puppies.”
AZ stands alone
Arizona is the last place left the southwest United States where the sale of puppy mill puppies is still legal statewide, the Star found.
Neighboring California banned such sales statewide in 2019 over concerns about inhumane practices at puppy mills, high-volume breeders who supply most of the U.S. pet store industry. Puppy mills mass-produce animals on the cheap by sacrificing the health of mother dogs, who often spend their lives in cramped wire cages being bred every time they’re in heat, the Humane Society of the United States says.
Besides California, a total of 45 cities, towns and counties in Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas now ban retail sale of mass-produced puppies. Pet stores can still offer rescue animals and consumers also can buy puppies from small-scale breeders or directly from rescue shelters.
Also in Texas, the state Legislature is weighing a proposed ban on pet stores in counties with more than 200,000 residents, further blocking the industry’s access to major population centers. Some Texas media reports say the state proposal is drawing bipartisan support from lawmakers who tend to disagree on other issues. More than a dozen Texas cities and towns already have local bans in place.
Gallardo isn’t the only out-of-state operator to relocate to the Grand Canyon State after being forced out back home, public records show.
Justin Kerr, owner of Puppyland, a chain in Washington State forced to close one of its stores when a local pet store ban took effect, registered an Arizona corporation last year under a business name nearly identical to that of his Washington enterprise, state records show.
A few weeks ago he opened Puppyland Arizona in the Phoenix area, selling puppies purchased from high-volume breeders in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Indiana, records show. One of the breeders had nearly 900 dogs and puppies on the premises during an inspection last year, federal records show.
Kerr didn’t respond by deadline to two email messages sent to a business address shown on his company website.

Alyssa Madril's Yorkshire Terrier, born in a Missouri puppy mill, died a month after purchase from a Marana pet store that went under in 2020 after four months in business
Little recourse for consumers
Alyssa Madril said Gallardo never made good on a 12-month health guarantee for a tiny Yorkshire Terrier that died a few weeks after purchase from his Marana pet store in 2020. A post-mortem exam found the puppy had only one lung, according to a necropsy report reviewed by the Star.
Puppies born in puppy mills can be prone to health and behavior problems due to inbreeding, overcrowding and scarce human contact, the national Humane Society says.
Madril, who lives in Phoenix and often visits family in Tucson, said she’s out of pocket more than $4,000, including $2,700 for the puppy and $1,500 spent on veterinary bills trying in vain to keep it alive. Worse than that, she said, “we still have a heartache.”
Madril complained in writing to the Arizona Attorney General’s consumer fraud office but nothing came of it, she said.
A reply she received in December 2020, reviewed by the Star, said the agency would contact the business for a response and let her know the outcome. More than two years later, she has not heard back, she said.
Madril said she recently spoke to a lawyer about suing Gallardo. But doing so might be tricky because neither his Marana store, nor his new Tucson store, are eligible for corporate status in Arizona, according to the state corporation commission.
Both companies use a “virtual” legal agent firm run by a Texas lawyer who rents a downtown Tucson business address from a commercial mail-forwarding firm, public records show. That’s not legal in Arizona, said Tanya M. Gibson, director of the commission’s corporations division.
A corporate agent, also known as a statutory agent, must have a physical presence in the state, a place where important papers such as lawsuits or tax bills can be delivered in person during office hours, Gibson said in an email interview.
Companies without valid legal agents don’t qualify to do business in Arizona, Gibson said. When such cases come to light, as happened in this case through the Star’s research, the companies involved are administratively dissolved by the state after a 60-day notice period, she said.
State lawsuit
Arizona’s Republican-dominated Legislature has so far shown no appetite for new restrictions on pet stores. That’s largely due to the lobbying efforts of one man, animal protection advocates say.
Frank Mineo, who owns four pet stores — including Animal Kingdom at the Tucson Mall — convinced the state legislature in 2016 to pass a law preempting cities and towns from placing local restrictions on the industry. The change made Arizona one of just two states — Ohio is the other — that actively blocks municipal regulation of pet store sales.
Phoenix and Tempe had just banned retail pet stores at the time and Tucson was about to follow suit when the Legislature shut them down. Instead, at Mineo’s urging, state lawmakers passed a handful of rules he said were sufficient to regulate the industry — measures Mineo himself was later accused of breaking in a civil lawsuit filed by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
The state started its investigation in 2020 after Bailing Out Benji, the national anti-puppy mill group, claimed to have documented dozens of cases in which Arizona consumers — including those who bought puppies from Mineo’s Tucson Mall store — were misled about the source of the animals or the state of their health.
The group also alleged Mineo was sourcing puppies from some of the worst breeders in the country — those with recent federal violations for animal mistreatment — which specifically is forbidden under Arizona’s pet store rules. Mineo’s four stores sell about 6,000 puppies a year in total, most obtained from out-of-state breeders and brokers, the attorney general said.
Mineo settled the state lawsuit out of court late last year without admitting wrongdoing. He agreed to refrain from alleged illegal business practices and to set up a $120,000 compensation fund for consumers allegedly victimized by his stores between Jan. 1, 2017 and Dec. 22, 2022.
Mineo said his stores treat puppies with care and steer clear of “disreputable breeders who put a stain on the industry.”
“Arizona is no safe haven for bad actors as we have some of the strongest oversight and regulation of pet stores in the nation,” he told the Star in a statement from a Phoenix public relations firm. “Well-regulated pet stores are needed to ensure backyard breeders and Craigslist sellers do not dominate the market.”
It’s unclear if Mineo can still hold sway at the statehouse after his run-in with the attorney general. “ I don’t know that he would have the same credibility,” said Republican Sen. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills, who chairs the state Senate appropriations committee.
Kavanagh said it may be time to examine whether Arizona’s pet store laws still fit the state’s present circumstances.
“If we really are being inundated, if we’re becoming a location of last resort, I don’t think that’s something we want to see.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation banning the retail sale of certain pets on Nov. 15. According to the governor's office, the new law seeks to "end the puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline and stop abusive breeders".
Pets for adoption locally
Bingo

Bingo
ID No.: A798188
Age: 2 years
Story: A kind animal protection officer found this very handsome and courageous boy after being hit by a car. Thanks to the quick and caring actions of the officer and the PACC medical team, Bingo is healing from his pelvic and jaw fractures very well. Volunteers say this puppy-like sweetheart is good-natured, happy, friendly, easy to handle, leash up and walk. Bingo has a can-do attitude and always seeks attention and affection. Bingo needs a foster/adopter who can frequently bring him to the PACC clinic for follow-up appointments.
Fee: $0 adoption fee
Contact: Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, 520-724-5900
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. To see a list of available pets and services, head to pima.gov/animalcare
Sign up to foster: Stop by the shelter in person. For details, visit pima.gov/foster
Samson

Samson
ID No.: A660591
Age: 8 years
Story: This charmer is a huge volunteer favorite, and we would love to find this friendly, outgoing, playful, energetic, sweet boy the forever home he deserves. Those who know this goofy character say he's fun, high-spirited, and has a great sense of humor. He's always so happy and appreciative whenever anyone stops to spend time with him. Here are a few more great things about him: house-trained, affectionate, enjoys playing with toys, knows sit and takes treats gently. Samson also has a calm and mellow side and makes a good couch potato.
Fee: $0 adoption fee
Contact: Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, 520-724-5900
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. To see a list of available pets and services, head to pima.gov/animalcare
Sign up to foster: Stop by the shelter in person. For details, visit pima.gov/foster
Patches

Patches
ID No.: A787783
Age: 3 years
Story: Patches is a sensitive guy: quiet and shy. He's a gentle pup who would love to find a home where he can work on confidence. He loves to stroll around the park and is a very good walker: he doesn't pull and checks with his handler for directions. Patches shares his kennel with another PACC pup and was social, tolerant, and independent when meeting other dogs in playgroup. He was interested in the other dogs but also enjoyed playing on his own in the sandbox.
Fee: $0 adoption fee
Contact: Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, 520-724-5900
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. To see a list of available pets and services, head to pima.gov/animalcare
Sign up to foster: Stop by the shelter in person. For details, visit pima.gov/foster
Jacky

Jacky
ID No.: A724624
Age: 3 years
Story: Jacky is a fantastic boy who loves to have his head scratched, loves peanut butter, and loves to play fetch and tug-o-war. He's easy to leash and walk, and takes treats gently. During his recent playgroup evaluation, Jacky was appropriate and tolerant when greeting the other pups. After a moment to warm up, he was social and playful. Jacky would like to meet any resident dogs before heading home to ensure a good fit.
Fee: $0 adoption fee
Contact: Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, 520-724-5900
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. To see a list of available pets and services, head to pima.gov/animalcare
Sign up to foster: Stop by the shelter in person. For details, visit pima.gov/foster
Mama Maria and Harriet

Mama Maria and Harriet
Age: 4 and 2 years (Harriet)
Story: Mama Maria and Harriet are mom and daughter and are a bonded pair that need to be adopted together. They are both very sweet natured and quiet, well-behaved cats that are looking for a calm, mellow home they can share together. They are spayed, litter trained and up to date on all required shots. Both are a bit timid and shy at first around new people and situations but because they have each other they will adjust after a few days and become content and loving family members.
Fee: $150 for the pair
Contact: Lifeline Oro Valley Animal Rescue (LOVAR) email admin@saferlifeline.org or visit www.lovar.org
Donnie

Donnie
ID No.: 922599
Age: 11 months
Story: Donnie has a gentle soul and so much love to give. This calm pup will be your forever friend once you give him the time he needs to trust you. Call to learn more about this sweetheart.
Fee: Adoption fee covered by Anthony T. Body Realty
Contact: The Humane Society of Southern Arizona Main Campus, 635 W. Roger Road, 520-327-6088 Ext. 173
Princess

Princess
ID No.: 924064
Age: 4 years
Story: Princess is a gorgeous cat who fits her name to a tee. So if you find yourself without a royal feline to serve and be loyal to, ask to meet her today and begin your new reign together.
Fee: $90
Contact: The Humane Society of Southern Arizona Main Campus, 635 W. Roger Road, 520-327-6088 Ext. 173
Veah and Tanner

Veah and Tanner
Age: 1½ years
Story: Veah and Tanner are an adorable bonded pair that need to be adopted together. They love to snuggle together.
Fee: $200 each, spayed, neutered, microchipped and age appropriate vaccines. Approved adoption application required.
Contact: Rescue Me Tucson/Marana, 6401 Marana Center Blvd., #902, noon-5 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 520-261-1616
Kitt

Kitt
Age: 3 months
Story: Like her brother Dell, Kitt is a beautiful brown tabby and so lucky to be found and brought to Paws Patrol. Her foster mom says that she’s a beautiful girl inside and out and loves to cuddle with her foster family and her brother, Dell. These two are pretty adorable together. Kitt enjoys playing chase and tumbling around with Dell. They are two peas in a pod and hope to be adopted together and continue playing and snoozing together for a very long time. Both kittens have lots of energy.
Fee: $65, $100 for both if adopted with Kitt. Includes microchip, neutering and current shots.
Contact: Paws Patrol, Green Valley, 520-207-4024, www.greenvalleypawspatrol.org
Meet: By appointment
Dell

Dell
Age: 3 months
Story: Dell is a very lucky kitten. He was about a month old when his siblings and him were found on the side of the road in Nogales. They were brought to Paws Patrol and boy, how these little kittens have grown! They all went to live with a foster family and have experienced love from the moment they’ve arrived. Dell’s foster mom says that he is as sweet as a kitten can be. He follows his foster family around just hoping for someone to sit down so he can spend some quality lap time with them. Dell loves playing with his sister, Kitt and it would be fun to have these two stay together. Dell is a sweet, gentle boy looking for a forever home filled with love and a lap. Adoption qualifications required.
Fee: $65, $100 for both if adopted with Kitt. Includes microchip, neutering and current shots.
Contact: Paws Patrol, Green Valley, 520-207-4024, www.greenvalleypawspatrol.org
Meet: By appointment
Stiltskin

Stiltskin
Age: 4 years
Story: Stiltskin is a handsome guy that loves you to pet his soft fur coat. He was found with a buddy outside his rescuer’s home. If you want a quiet feline companion to love forever, he’s all yours. Please call to arrange a meeting with Stiltskin.
Fee: $45 (for one or two); includes neuter, shots, and microchip
Contact: The Animal League of Green Valley, 1600 W. Duval Mine Road, Green Valley, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. daily, 520-625-3170 or www.talgv.org
Meadow

Meadow
Age: 9 months
Story: Meadow is a 40-pound bundle of wiggly-butt love. She walks well on leash and is ready for basic command training. Show her a treat and with your loving guidance, eventually, she will show you a trick. Please call for an appointment to meet Meadow.
Fee: $85, includes spay, shots, and microchip.
Contact: The Animal League of Green Valley, 1600 W. Duval Mine Road, Green Valley, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. daily, 520-625-3170 or www.talgv.org
Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great
Age: 6 years
Story: This gentle giant came to the Hermitage when his family couldn’t care for him anymore. He’s settled into shelter life fairly quickly and is curious about everyone who comes to visit. He likes people, enjoys watching the world go by, and has passing familiarity with dogs. He also likes to snooze in sunny spots. If you have ear scritches to offer, come meet this boy.
Fee: $80
Contact: The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary, 5278 E. 21st St., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Oscar and Joey

Oscar and Joey
Age: 8 years and 9 months
Story: These bonded “brothers” need to be adopted together - they have so much fun with each other.
Fee: $150 for both, neutered, microchipped and all vaccines. Approved adoption application required.
Contact: Rescue Me Tucson/Marana, 6401 Marana Center Blvd., #902, noon-5 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 520-261-1616
Stormy

Stormy
ID No.: A779723
Age: 2 years
Story: Stormy is a handsome tennis ball enthusiast who is really good at chasing after tennis balls - the retrieving part needs a little work, but he's getting there and he thoroughly enjoys the exercise. He's easy to leash and loves going for walks. Don't be surprised if you see him with a stuffed toy in his mouth. He carries one proudly his whole walk. People at the park often compliment him for how cute he is. Stormy takes treats with a gentle mouth and knows sit and look. When treat time is over, tell him "all done" and ask him to get his toy, and he quickly picks it up and is ready to continue his walk.
Fee: $0 adoption fee
Contact: Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, 520-724-5900
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. To see a list of available pets and services, head to pima.gov/animalcare
Sign up to foster: Stop by the shelter in person. For details, visit pima.gov/foster
Kiri

Kiri
Age: 4 months
Story: Beautiful gray tabby girl.
Fee: $150, spayed, microchipped and all vaccines. Approved adoption application required.
Contact: Rescue Me Tucson/Marana, 6401 Marana Center Blvd., #902, noon-5 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 520-261-1616
Oreo

Oreo
Age: 2 years
Story: Oreo is a gentle cuddler and is a great walker. Just as sweet as his name.
Fee: $200, neutered, microchipped and age appropriate vaccines. Approved adoption application required.
Contact: Rescue Me Tucson/Marana, 6401 Marana Center Blvd., #902, noon-5 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 520-261-1616
Poe

Poe
Age: 6 months
Story: Super sweet young boy who would love his own family for Valentine’s.
Fee: $200, neutered, microchipped and age appropriate vaccines. Approved adoption application required.
Contact: Rescue Me Tucson/Marana, 6401 Marana Center Blvd., #902, noon-5 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, 520-261-1616
Che

Che
ID No.: 924123
Age: 2 years
Story: Che is the ultimate dog – he’s smart, fun, gentle and gets along with everyone. He was even being considered for HSSA’s education team dog because he’s so special.
Fee: Adoption fee covered by Silverado Rooter & Plumbing
Contact: The Humane Society of Southern Arizona Main Campus, 635 W. Roger Road, 520-327-6088 Ext. 173
Hastings

Hastings
ID No.: 923951
Age: 7 years old
Story: Hastings is a former Community Cat who has now expressed interest in indoor living. This senior cat would love a lap to snuggle up on. He is FIV+ but that shouldn’t keep you from adopting this deserving boy. Learn more about FIV and Hastings by calling 520-327-6088, Ext. 173.
Fee: Adoption fee covered by TagLine Media Group
Contact: The Humane Society of Southern Arizona Main Campus, 635 W. Roger Road, 520-327-6088 Ext. 173
Contact reporter Carol Ann Alaimo at 573-4138 or calaimo@tucson.com. On Twitter: @AZStarConsumer