# Clark County DA Defends Office After Complaint Over Working Dogs of Nevada Case

Source: https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/clark-county-da-defends-office-after-complaint-over-working-dogs-of-nevada-case/
Published: 2026-08-30

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Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson is defending his office’s handling of animal abuse cases after an advocacy group filed a formal complaint over the collapse of the Working Dogs of Nevada prosecution.

 

Wolfson told [Fox5 Las Vegas](https://www.fox5vegas.com/2026/07/07/amplified-trainer-deported-co-defendants-charges-dropped-nevada-working-dog-abuse-case/) that his office’s approach is solid and that he does not plan to change how it handles animal abuse cases going forward.

 

We [previously reported](https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/advocacy-group-files-formal-complaint-against-clark-county-da-over-working-dogs-of-nevada-case/) that John Waudby, founder of Nevada Animal Advocates, filed a formal complaint with the Nevada Attorney General’s Office and the State Bar after the case against Working Dogs of Nevada effectively collapsed.

 

Trainer John Johnstone was deported to Scotland before trial, and prosecutors dropped the sole charge against co-defendant Tabitha Berube, citing insufficient evidence.

 

Wolfson pushed back on criticism that his office goes too easy on animal abuse defendants.

 

He said plea deals are not a bad outcome because defendants are still pleading guilty, and he noted his office lacks enough judges and prosecutors to take every case to trial.

 

Wolfson also disclosed new figures on how his office has handled the broader category of cases.

 

He said the office received approximately 171 animal abuse cases over the past two years, of which 19 were denied, and confirmed that most of the remaining cases ended in plea deals.

 

The district attorney said he would welcome an independent review of his office’s handling of animal abuse prosecutions.

 

Waudby, a driving force behind Reba’s Law, the Nevada statute that increased penalties for animal abuse, said he was shocked when Berube’s case was dismissed.

 

The Working Dogs of Nevada facility has since permanently closed, and the dogs seized during the investigation were adopted out, transferred to rescues, or returned to their owners.

 

We will continue following any response from the Nevada Attorney General’s Office or the State Bar to Waudby’s complaint.