WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (TNND) — A Florida woman was arrested after deputies found a dead donkey, multiple dead cats, and several sick animals in unsanitary conditions on her property, according to authorities.
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The Polk County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 59-year-old Melissa McKinney. She was charged with three felony counts of animal cruelty, two counts of “maintaining a nuisance injurious to health,” three counts of operating an unpermitted solid-waste site, and two counts of unauthorized possession of dairy cases.
“These poor animals likely could have been saved had this suspect only called someone for help,” Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release. “Now, she’s facing serious felonies. Hopefully the living animals we seized can be rehabilitated and eventually adopted out to loving families.”
The following animals were removed from the property, Judd said:
Two brown dogs in fair conditionOne pony in fair conditionTwo adult cats in extremely poor condition, that later diedThree kittens in extremely poor condition, that later diedFour dead catsOne dead donkey
Necropsies are pending to determine the animals’ causes of death, and additional charges could follow, the sheriff said.
Judd said McKinney was arrested on Thursday following an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit and environmental crimes detectives.
Animal Control officers and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) officials visited the property earlier in the week after reports of diseased and dead animals, as well as a possible chemical leak, the sheriff said. The DEP asked deputies to respond after officials found the circumstances suspicious, the sheriff said.
Detectives said they found a dead donkey in the yard, Judd said. McKinney told investigators the animal had been unable to stand since the weekend, but that she had not contacted a veterinarian because she “hadn’t had time.”
Authorities also reported finding four dead cats and three cats that appeared lethargic and had labored breathing. McKinney allegedly told investigators that another 10 to 15 dead cats were in a dumpster.
The DEP tested the property’s air and water, but found no evidence supporting claims of a harmful gas leak, the sheriff said. Deputies also reported multiple containers, trash piles, animal waste, stagnant water, and a burn pit near a creek.
The case remains under investigation.