PADUCAH — New details were revealed Friday in a McCracken County animal neglect case. The local humane society is asking for restitution after more than 100 dogs were taken into its custody.
The local humane society, now overwhelmed with animals and rising costs, is seeking restitution to cover care expenses. Alt has pleaded not guilty, and her next court appearance is set for June 5.
Suzanne Alt of Woodlawn, Illinois, is accused of running a puppy mill in McCracken County. She’s charged with 111 counts of inhumane treatment of animals.
Alt entered a not guilty plea on May 8.
According to investigators, the dogs were kept in a defunct veterinary clinic in Reidland. It had little ventilation, no electricity, and carpets soaked with urine and feces.
The McCracken County Humane Society was already over capacity before housing the dogs from Suzanne Alt’s animal neglect case. None of the dogs pictured are from the alleged puppy mill case.
On Friday, the humane society shared what they need from the community as they work tirelessly to keep up.
At the McCracken County Humane Society, they were already over capacity before housing the dogs from Suzanne Alt’s animal neglect case.
“We’re sitting at about 300 animals. About 220 of them are dogs,” Executive Director Traci Phelps said.
“My staff is working so incredibly hard. I need volunteers. I need adoptions. I need foster, you know. I need, I need the community to really step up and, you know, and help with those types of things as well,” Executive Director Traci Phelps said. None of the dogs pictured are from the alleged puppy mill case.
Phelps said receiving this many dogs at once has been disruptive, and the shelter has incurred significant expenses.
“The price of food has gone up, utilities have gone up. You know, it’s not just supplies. It’s that I have to pay staff. I have to pay for the water bill. You know, we imagine with that many animals how often the water is running from the time we get there in the morning to the time we leave at night. It’s a constant,” she said.
The humane society sent a breakdown of the costs to McCracken County Attorney Cade Foster’s office.
The standard boarding fee is $12 a day. At this rate, the total daily fee for caring for the 111 animals from May 2 to May 22 would be $28,116. Then, adding vet fees, extra food, and overtime pay for workers, the costs rise to $29,761.
What can the public do to help? Donating supplies is helpful, but there are ways to do more.
“My staff is working so incredibly hard. I need volunteers. I need adoptions. I need foster, you know. I need, I need the community to really step up and, you know, and help with those types of things as well,” Phelps said.
According to the letter sent to the McCracken County Attorney’s office, the dogs seized range from 6 weeks to 4 years old. Five dogs were nursing mothers, and several others are pregnant or suspected to be.
The humane society would only receive this funding from Alt to cover the dogs’ care if she is convicted. Foster explained how it works.
“Humane Society is saying, you know, Ms. Alt is alleged to have committed these crimes. Because of that, we have been impacted in this way, and so that letter from them laid out how it has impacted them,” he explained. “There’s a procedure in criminal law called restitution hearings… the defendant can either agree to repay the victim the restitution, or we can have a hearing and ask the court to order the defendant to repay that.”
Foster said Alt’s attorney has filed a motion for return of property — that’s for all of the dogs to be returned to her.
Her next court appearance is June 5.
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