“The Exorcist” star Linda Blair’s home in Southern California was searched by animal control officials in connection with a “kennel operation,” authorities said.
Blair’s home was searched Friday under an inspection warrant by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) and the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, officials said in a statement.
The 67-year-old actor, who runs a dog adoption charity, has not been accused of committing any crimes.
“The goal is to inspect this property for buildings and structures associated with a kennel operation reported to have more than 100 dogs,” the department said in the statement.
Permits for the facility had expired in 2023, and attempts to contact the owner had gone unanswered, it added.
“The warrant allows us to lawfully access the property and verify compliance with County codes,” the department added.
Blair appeared to confirm the inspection in a video she posted to her Instagram account on Friday.
“I just wanted to check in because today we got a really big surprise visit, and as it turns out, there is nothing but some paperwork and some new diagrams and things,” she said.
Blair, best known for playing Regan MacNeil in the 1973 horror classic “The Exorcist,” won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actress.
The actor has long been an animal rights activist. In 2003, she started a nonprofit, the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, that focuses on rehabilitating dogs and facilitating their adoption.
“It’s a big crisis we’re dealing with in California and across the country, so any and all support would mean the world,” she said in her video. “The rest of us are just taking care of our chores every single day, and what commitment we’ve already given to the animals. And I hope everybody will do the same and be supportive. But I want to let you know I’m OK, and so are the animals.”
The DACC declined to say how many animals were found on the property.
“As this is an active and ongoing investigation, DACC is not able to answer specific questions about this case at this time,” the department said. “DACC appreciates the public’s concern and want to assure everyone that the Department is committed to ensuring all kennel operations meet legal requirements and provide humane care.”
At least 128 dogs are listed as available for adoption on the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation’s website. It is not clear whether all of the dogs are living at the property authorities searched this week.
