Patricia Schenck, of Olive Township, pleaded no contest to a reduced misdemeanor charge of malicious destruction of personal property on Friday and was immediately sentenced by 65th District Court Judge Richard Wells, court officials said.
A no-contest plea is not a formal admission of guilt but is treated as a conviction.
She was charged with one felony animal neglect charge after police found 17 dogs and two cats in poor condition at her home in December.
One of the dogs was euthanized. The other animals were taken to shelters.
Schenck was suspended with pay from MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine while the case was pending. Her current status with the university was not immediately clear Friday evening.
An attorney for Schenck did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.
Schenck was placed on probation for two years and ordered to pay $8,000 to Animal Lodge, a kennel in St. Johns, $1,200 to the Capital Area Humane Society and $800 to a government agency to cover the cost of the animals’ care, the officials said.
She also was assessed $1,450 in fines and costs and ordered to forfeit the animals.
(Lansing State Journal - Mar 15, 2013)
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