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Case ID: 11977

Classification: Hoarding

Animal: cat, dog (non pit-bull), horse, goat

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Animals found living in deplorable conditions
Clayton Township, MI (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Aug 10, 2007
County: Genesee

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Wendy M. Deinzer

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

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.

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

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.

Case Updates

Wendy M. Deinzer told jurors she is an animal rescuer.

But after hearing witnesses during several days of trial describe horses, goats, dogs and cats living in filth, without proper food, water and ventilation and often with infections at her Clayton Township residence, a jury convicted Deinzer of three counts of animal cruelty.

Deinzer, 46, faces up to 93 days in jail, community service and the inability to own animals when sentenced April 16 by Central District Judge Mark C. McCabe.

Assistant Genesee County Prosecutor Janet McLaren told jurors that Deinzer is not a person who rescues animals.

"Wendy Deinzer is an animal collector," McLaren said. "And there's a huge difference.

"If those animals could talk, they would be saying 'Get me out of here.'"

Clayton Township Police were sent to Deinzer's farm, 1228 N. McKinley Road, shortly after 10 a.m. Aug. 10, to assist county Animal Control officials, who went there on a tip.

Officials found dogs locked in cages filled with urine and feces in a closed barn with no water; goats in another shed without water; underweight horses and goats without food or water; and cats running amok.

McLaren said maggots crawled around some dishes that actually had food.

She told jurors that Deinzer had a similar problem in 2002 when Oakland County officials checked on animals under her care.

McLaren said Oakland County officials made Deinzer go through programs aimed at educating her in the care of animals.

Deinzer testified in her own defense and told jurors the animals were cared for and that she believes she knows more about animals than the officials and a veterinarian, who spoke to her.

"She has no excuse," McLaren said. "These animals deserve a better life than this."

In all, officials removed eight horses, 14 dogs, two goats and about eight cats.

A forfeiture hearing against Deinzer continues Thursday before McCabe on the fate of those animals, which could be returned to her.

Saginaw attorney Andrew Janetski, who represented Deinzer, told jurors that officials caught his client on the same day that her mother died and she did not yet perform her animals chores.

He said Deinzer knows how to care for animals and was addressing the problems. He also said some of the animals were in distress because they had only been there a short time.

"She loves animals," he said. "She did not commit animal cruelty."

Source: Mlive - March 11, 2008
Update posted on Mar 11, 2008 - 5:30PM

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References

ABC12.com - Aug 10, 2007

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Animals found living in deplorable conditionsClayton Township, MI (US)

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Animals found living in deplorable conditions
Clayton Township, MI (US)