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Still no arrests made in animal hoarding case in Flint Twp.
FOX 2 went out to the property where no one was home, but there was trash all over the yard. Meanwhile, authorities say that’s what it looked like on the inside.
FLINT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - Dozens of dogs were found dead at a home in Genesee County and now police are searching for the husband and wife who own the property.
Local perspective:
No arrests have been made as of March 5, as police are continuing their search for the homeowners. FOX 2 went out to the property where no one was home, but there was trash all over the yard.
Meanwhile, authorities say that’s what it looked like on the inside.
The video and descriptions of the scene are disturbing; viewer and reader discretion are advised.
"It was a big, huge nightmare. The only thing it was just the barking and the smell and the constant dogs getting loose," a neighbor told FOX 2. "When they first moved in, they did not have a fence," they said. "And all they did was just run the yard. They’d be all up on my porch and in my garage. And my daughter was petrified of them."
The neighbor, who is keeping her identity concealed, said that sometimes the dogs would get out into the street.
"I was really afraid that people were going to get killed on the road. I’ve had dogs, we’ve looked for dogs in drains," she said. "We’ve looked for dogs in the woods. I’ve been all over the place with these dogs."
The neighbor says she saw dogs fighting, too, so she called 911 and animal control. A few weeks ago, police entered the home with caution.
What they're saying:
"Neighbors complained about loose dogs running around, about excessive barking," said Prosecuting Attorney David Leyton. "So the police went out and saw from across the property what was going on. They came to us. We gave them a search warrant. They went in, and unfortunately we found a horrendous situation."
Twenty-six dead dogs were found while over 60 other animals were rescued. Meanwhile, feces and trash were everywhere.
"This is a case of animal hoarding, and animal hoarding is a mental health disorder, so it’s documented, and our county veterinarian made that clear in her report to me and the police officers," Leyton said.
He’s looking for the homeowners, Kim Mitchell Shires and Brenda Marie Shires, both in their 60s. Both are charged with animal cruelty and animal abandonment.
"This is far and away the worst situation I’ve seen, and I’ve been the prosecuting attorney here for now 22 years. So this is a really bad case," said Leyton.
What you can do:
Once the dogs are medically cleared, people can visit Genesee County Animal Control.
They’re open Tuesday to Friday starting at noon, and Saturday starting at 10 a.m.