Michigan: MI: Animal cruelty claims probed in Genesee County Animal cruelty claims probed in Genesee County
7 horses, 14 dogs 10 cats, 2 goats living in 'deplorable conditions'
By Taryn Asher

CLAYTON TOWNSHIP (WJRT) - (08/10/07)--Allegations of animal cruelty are being leveled in Genesee County's Clayton Township.

Friday morning, someone called police and told them animals were being abused at a home on North McKinley Road.

When authorities checked it out, they say their suspicions were confirmed.

Oddly enough, a young woman was seen playing violin in front of the North McKinley Road home at the same time Genesee County Animal Control was investigating a case of animal cruelty.

Seven horses, 14 dogs 10 cats and two goats were living in what Genesee County Animal Control referred to as deplorable conditions.

"He said it was awful. If the animals could talk, they say, 'Get me out of here,'" said Angie Dodd, who lives down the street and who says her son saw the abuse first hand.

"It stunk terribly," she said. "They didn't have water and he was concerned with it."

Dodd was concerned but we're told it was actually another neighbor who called police to complain about the animals' living conditions.

"Some of the dogs and cats were in cages with no food or water," said Clayton Township Police Chief Chuck Melki.

"(Some were) locked in storage sheds, garages. They had feces in the cages and stuff some of them. They looked malnutritioned."

Melki says the owner told police the animals were fine.

"She says the animals were well taken care of," he said. "That's her opinion."

It's an opinion her neighbor Jim Stallings shares. In fact, he even went as far as to call her an animal lover. But he also admits he's never been inside the garage.

"Everything has been good and the animals I've seen haven't been neglected," Stallings said.

Genesee County Animal Control says the owner of the home is expected to be charged with animal cruelty.

Clayton Township police say the woman also broke the law by having that many animals and not being licensed.

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