By Shereen Siewert
Two people are facing criminal charges after police discovered two emaciated dogs and several dead animals inside an abandoned Nekoosa home, where the inside temperature was just 36 degrees and feces littered every room, according to a Nekoosa Police Department news release.
Acting on an anonymous tip, Nekoosa Police officers on Nov. 12 responded to the Second Street home, where they made the gruesome discovery. Two dogs were rescued and taken to the Wood County Humane Society. A dead cat, snake, rabbit and fish were removed from the home, according to a news release.
There was no food or water inside the home and the thermostat was turned off, police said. A veterinarian determined that the cat and rabbit likely died of starvation and dehydration.
An 11-year-old neighbor told police he had been periodically feeding the animals because the animals’ owners had not been seen for about two weeks.
Police located the owners of the animals, 22-year-old Dallas McKinney and 30-year-old Jessica Ramos, at their new residence in Milladore. McKinney and Ramos allegedly claimed they were periodically checking on the animals, despite the officers’ inability to locate any food or water inside the home.
McKinney and Ramos will face six counts of animal abandonment, six counts of improper animal shelter-temperature, six counts of improper animal shelter-ventilation, six counts of failure to provide food for an animal, six counts of failure to provide water to an animal, three counts of misdemeanor mistreatment of animals and thee counts of felony mistreatment of animals.
On Nov. 13, both McKinney and Ramos appeared before a judge and were released on $2,500 signature bonds.
