RIDGEWAY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Ridgeway man has been charged after one dog is believed to be deceased underneath his home, one dog was found deceased inside and three more were rescued from it.
Harrison County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Saturday, Jan. 18, have revealed that John R. Ikerd, 61, of Ridgeway, has been charged with animal abuse in connection to multiple dogs that died under his care.
A probable cause statement filed by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office indicated that on Friday, law enforcement officials were called to a home near Locus and 2nd St. in Ridgeway with reports of abandoned canines.
When law enforcement officials arrived, they said they found one emaciated dog outside the home with a strong odor of decomposing animal. A look inside a nearby window revealed two more emaciated canines.
Investigators noted that they knew the owner of the home to be Ikerd due to a previous arrest at the address. He was found squatting at a home near Maple and 1st St. He admitted to deputies that it had been at least a week since he had been to see his 5 dogs.
When first responders returned, they said they rescued one dog from the backyard and two from inside the home. One deceased dog was found inside the residence. It was found that this canine had been consumed by the other two due to a lack of food.
Investigators said the last canine was not found but believed to be deceased underneath the house due to the smell. As a result, Ikerd was charged with a single count of animal abuse and three counts of animal neglect or abandonment. If convicted, he could face up to 1 year and 45 days behind bars plus a $22,250 fine.
As of Wednesday, Jan. 22, Ikerd remains behind bars on a $5,000 bond. A bond review hearing has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24. No further information has been released.
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