The remains of 10 animals - a horse, a rabbit, a dog and seven cats - were found on a 10-acre Burlington residence, many piled on top of the burn-pile, as if ready for cremation.
Lydia Gray, a veterinarian and executive director of the humane society, and her crew went to impound the horses this week by order of the Illinois Department of Agriculture's animal welfare bureau, which over the past year sent Keun three violation notices saying he was not providing adequate water, food, shelter or care for the three horses.
In the field behind Keun's house, they saw the dead horse and a dead dog lying in a pile of garbage, Gray said. Buried in the same pile, two bags containing seven dead kittens and a dead rabbit were found by animal-rescue workers.
"We kept finding dead kitten after dead kitten after dead kitten ... at one point we were asking, 'When are we going to stop finding dead bodies?'" Gray said. "It was a gruesome scene - it took a minute for us to compose ourselves when we saw it at first."
The Hooved Animal Humane Society, the agriculture department's law enforcement division and the Kane County Office of Animal Control all are investigating the case, and officials said they may pursue criminal charges for animal neglect. Keun, who officials said is in his late 30s, had not been charged with any wrongdoing late Friday.
Animal-control officers on Friday were trying to convince Keun to turn over to authorities a dog, numerous raccoons and puppies that were seen moving about inside his house.
Gray said Keun called her on Friday asking how he could get his horses back. She reminded him the state issued an order that the horses be taken away from him, but she said he could appeal that ruling.
Also, she suggested that he relinquish them to the Hooved Animal Humane Society - a move he said he'd think about.
Gray said it's unclear if the two surviving horses, a 3-year-old palomino colt and a 7-year-old paint mare, will survive.
The two horses were extremely emaciated and weak, Gray said, but they were being treated and closely watched in Woodstock on Friday.
Despite her weakness, the mare "has a need to run" from the humane society workers when they try to treat her, Gray said. And the colt becomes very angry if the workers touch certain parts of his body, though horses typically are non-aggressive animals.
Kane County animal control officials met with the state's attorney to discuss whether to bring charges. Gray said county officials were seeking a court order to search the residence. Case Updates| Marshall Thomas Keun, 13N206 French Rd., was officially charged with aggravated animal cruelty, animal cruelty and violation of owner's duties in connection with the find by animal care authorities. Keun was arrested late last week and is free on $10,000 bond, could be sentenced to one to three years in prison if convicted of the most serious accusations. He is scheduled to appear in court on the charges April 30. | | Update posted on Apr 15, 2003 - 8:00AM |
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