Lauren Vancouver is the head of HotRescues, a no-kill animal shelter. At a particularly nasty puppy mill, Lauren helps rescue four adorable beagle puppies that were dumped down a drainpipe, and she's pretty sure she knows who is responsible. Efram Kiley, one of the mill's employees, has a history of dog abuse. After he shows up at HotRescues and threatens Lauren, Efram is found dead at the shelter--and Lauren becomes the prime suspect.