GENESEE CO., Mich. (WNEM) – Law enforcement is investigating an animal abuse case after 57 dogs were found in a Burton home, and 13 of them were dead.
Warning: Some of the details in this story may be considered graphic.
Burton Police Chief Brian Ross said on Saturday, Oct. 12 at about 8 p.m., 911 dispatch received a call stating that a smell was coming from a home in the 1200 block of Lasalle Avenue that was so horrific, the caller thought it was coming from a dead body.
Ross said police responded to the residence, and when they arrived, they found 57 dogs in the home, 44 of which were alive and 13 of which were dead.
The police chief said there was a hoarding situation going on in the home, and the dogs were in cages that were stacked three high; dogs on the top were urinating and defecating on dogs below. He said the cages were placed wherever there was room for them, including in bedrooms, in the basement, and in the hallways.
He said Burton police called the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, which called Animal Control, and the living dogs were rescued.
Ross said he doesn’t know exactly how long the dogs had been in that situation, but law enforcement was on scene rescuing the dogs for about five hours Saturday night.
“There is disease within those 44 animals. We’re trying to save all of them,” said Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
He said many of the living dogs are suffering from parvo.
Swanson said the 13 dogs that had died were in various locations, including in freezers or just on the basement floor. He said these were Shitzu and Yorkie-type dogs. They were sent for a necropsy to confirm the cause of death, but he said starvation is a concern.
“When you have dogs that are not getting cared for medically or starving, that’s torture,” Swanson said.
Genesee Prosecutor David Leyton said there were two suspects involved, including a mother and her son. He believes the son was suffering from mental health problems, which he said will be explored in the courts. Leyton said he will be given a competency examination.
The 49-year-old mother was charged with one count of cruelty to 25 or more animals, one count of allowing animals to suffer unnecessarily, and one count of failure to dispose of a dead animal.
Leyton said based on the police reports, Stone was breeding the dogs.
“Breeding dogs is a responsibility. It’s not a hobby. It’s not something you do lightly. These are live creatures, and if you become overwhelmed, you need to reach out for help.” Leyton
Swanson wants people to know that if someone is overwhelmed and is unable to care for their animals, there are resources and people they can reach out to for help.
Swanson said the house has been condemned.
All the dogs are being cared for to the best of Animal Control’s ability, and they were all seen by a veterinarian this week, Swanson said.
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