WQIO Ohio's Super Station
Two Butler residents and their Mount Vernon business are facing allegations that a purported animal‑welfare nonprofit diverted charitable donations to support a for‑profit enterprise that sold puppies.
A lawsuit filed Monday by Ohio Attorney General David Yost claims the organization, Dogs to the Rescue, operated as a sham charity in Knox and Scioto counties. According to the filing, the nonprofit misled donors by asserting that all contributions would go toward finding permanent homes for dogs, while funds were instead used to benefit related commercial ventures.
The complaint names Dogs to the Rescue, board members Nathan and Sara Bazler and Opal Mustain, and the business Little Puppies Online as defendants. They are accused of unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty, and multiple violations of Ohio’s charitable laws. Attempts by Richland Source to reach the Bazlers and Mustain by phone and email were unsuccessful as of late Monday afternoon.
An investigation by the Attorney General’s Office found that Nathan and Sara Bazler, a married couple living in Richland County, allegedly used charitable funds to pay debts tied to Maryland Puppies Online, a for‑profit business. While serving as directors of Dogs to the Rescue, the couple also owned and operated Little Puppies Online and Maryland Puppies Online.
In 2022, the Bazlers agreed to shut down Maryland Puppies Online and pay $75,000 in civil penalties after Maryland officials accused them of violating state laws related to puppy mills.
The lawsuit further states that Dogs to the Rescue board members Nathan Bazler, Opal Mustain, and Sara Bazler collectively paid themselves $354,000 in 2022, despite averaging as little as two hours of work per week. By the end of that year, the nonprofit reported only $42 in remaining assets and lacked documentation to justify the payments.
Yost is seeking civil penalties, restitution, and a court order barring the defendants from soliciting donations or operating charitable organizations in Ohio. The case is being handled by the Attorney General’s Charitable Law Section, which oversees nonprofit compliance and protects charitable contributions.
Little Puppies Online has previously drawn scrutiny. The business appeared in the Humane Society of the United States’ Horrible Hundred puppy mill report in 2017, which cited cramped cages and purchases from unlicensed breeders, according to media accounts. As of Monday afternoon, the company’s website remained active, advertising puppies priced between $999 and $1,899.
Public records show that Nathan Bazler holds a master’s degree in Christian education from Ashland Theological Seminary, according to his LinkedIn profile, and has owned several businesses, including Bazler Investments, Bazler Motors, and The 139 Convenient Mart. State filings indicate Bazler Motors was dissolved in 2023.
Sara Bazler is listed as the agent for two active businesses, Mod Agave LLC and Blossom and Blume. The lawsuit also notes that the couple has operated additional for‑profit ventures under names such as Indiana Puppies Online, Pennsylvania Puppies Online, Florida Puppies Online, and Georgia Puppies Online.
Mustain, meanwhile, is associated with four businesses: Dogs to the Rescue, Mustain Enterprize, P & M Publishing, and Humane Pawz. The latter, also a nonprofit that listed Mustain and the Bazlers as directors, was dissolved earlier this year.
