Police in Illinois are investigating after two dogs appeared to have frozen to death in the yard of a home in Decatur, Macon County.
Newsweek reached out to the Decatur Police Department outside of normal working hours via email for comment.
Why It Matters
According to the national database, Shelter Animals Count, an estimated 10 million animals die from abuse or neglect every year in the U.S.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws which criminalize acts of cruelty toward animals, including provisions for felony charges.
The frozen Mississippi River is seen with the Minneapolis skyline in the background during an Arctic Blast on January 20, 2025.
KEREM YUCEL/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images
What To Know
Sergeant Joseph Sawyer of the Decatur Police Department told local publication the Herald & Review that two dogs of an unknown breed were found at an address. They were in a shed in the yard with a blanket covering them.
He said that, “There was food and water in a bowl, and I imagine in the time frame the deaths happened, that the dogs probably froze to death.”
It’s not the first time a case of animal cruelty has hit the news in Decatur. In 2022, just before Christmas, a pit bull named Berry Blue was left outside to freeze and died. The dog’s owner was sent to prison for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals.
In Illinois, aggravated cruelty to animals can lead to one to three years’ imprisonment for a first offense, with a second or subsequent violation punishable by two to five years in prison.
Illinois is one of many states that has been hit by an unprecedentedly intense cold snap, which has highlighted the needs for preparation in extreme weather situations.
The Midwest was hit with the coldest temperatures last week and according to AccuWeather, these brutal low temperatures run the risk of causing hypothermia.
Last week, Chicago, which is around 180 miles away from Decatur faced extremely volatile weather conditions, which the National Weather Service (NWS) warned in a cold weather advisory could lead to frostbite in as little as 20 to 30 minutes.
What People Are Saying
Sawyer told the Herald & Review: “These cases get immediately assigned to detectives who will be following up with it and investigating.”
The Mayo Clinic advises that: “When body temperature drops, the heart, nervous system and other organs can’t work as well as they usually do. Left untreated, hypothermia can cause the heart and respiratory system to fail and eventually can lead to death.
“Common causes of hypothermia include exposure to cold weather or immersion in cold water. Treatment for hypothermia includes methods to warm the body back to a regular temperature.”
What’s Next
A police investigation into the incident is ongoing.
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