A formal complaint has been submitted to the South Bend Common Council Rules Committee and multiple city agencies alleging that Common Council President Canneth Lee violated the South Bend Code of Ordinances by offering puppies for sale before they were legally eligible.
The complaint, filed June 19, 2025, by Logan Foster of Redress South Bend, asserts that Lee and his spouse, Charisse Wardlow-Lee, advertised and sold Yorkshire Terrier puppies at approximately four weeks of age, in violation of Section 5-77 of the South Bend municipal code, which prohibits the offering for sale, sale, trade, or transfer of puppies under 10 weeks old.
The complaint was sent to the Rules Committee, the South Bend Animal Welfare Commission, the South Bend Animal Resource Center, the City Clerk’s Office, the City Legal Department, and all members of the Common Council.
Allegations of ordinance violations
According to the filing, Lee posted multiple times on his public Facebook account between June 8 and June 15, 2025, offering three Yorkie puppies for sale at prices ranging from $1,000 to $1,500 each. Foster contends that Lee self-reported the puppies as being four weeks old, making the sale illegal under local law.
The complaint also raises additional questions about compliance with South Bend’s Chapter 5, Responsible Animal and Pet Ownership Care and Regulations. Specifically, it asks whether Lee or Wardlow-Lee obtained a required minor breeder permit, registered the litter with the Division of Animal Welfare, and provided buyer contact information to the city within five days of each sale. It also questions whether the puppies were microchipped, vaccinated, and provided with a legally required warrant of health following a veterinary examination.
Timeline of disputed posts
Foster’s complaint outlines a detailed timeline of social media activity related to the puppies.
On June 8, Lee allegedly posted offering three four-week-old puppies for sale at $1,500 each. Two days later, he reshared the same offer. On June 11, Lee posted a video of the puppies, again listing them for sale, and described them as eating wet food, which Foster argues is consistent with their young age. On June 12, Wardlow-Lee posted updated pricing, which Lee shared, listing a male puppy at $1,000 and females at $1,500. Lee reshared the listing again on June 13. On June 15, Wardlow-Lee posted that only one puppy remained and listed it for $1,500.
Requested action
Foster is urging the Rules Committee to investigate and impose penalties, writing that “anything less than a public censure and citation would be a disgrace” to the Council that adopted the ordinance in 2019. He notes that Council members Sharon McBride and Karen White voted in favor of the law at the time.
The complaint identifies Lee’s address as 1929 Huey Street, South Bend.
As of publication, Lee has not publicly responded to the allegations, and it is not yet clear whether the Rules Committee will formally take up the matter.
Logan Foster
Logan Foster founded Redress South Bend and reports on local government and public records in South Bend and St. Joseph County. He is 31 years old and is majoring in finance. He is a Cleveland sports fan and a longtime season ticket holder of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
