Accused Monroe County dog hoarder charged

WISCONSIN -- The woman accused of hoarding dogs in her rural Kendall home has been charged with animal mistreatment.

Authorities say Marie A. Thompson, 54, kept the animals in unsanitary conditions, and most of the 16 dogs rescued suffered from dental disease, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday in Monroe County Circuit Court.

Thompson told authorities her dogs were “her life” and she could not live without them when the sheriff’s department and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rescued the dogs and a parakeet from her town of Wellington mobile home on Sept. 18.

Thompson said she realized her home “was messy,” but authorities described the Osborn Avenue home as littered with feces and garbage, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. The home also reportedly smelled of urine and did not have running water.

Responders also found remains of dogs on the property.

Thompson also is charged with failure to provide proper water and failure to provide proper shelter, all of which are misdemeanors. She’s scheduled to appear in court Dec. 29.

Authorities initially were sent to the property in late June on a welfare check and heard barking dogs, saw a thin Chihuahua and noticed a strong smell of urine coming from the house, according to the sheriff’s department.

Monroe County Humane Officer Bekah Weitz visited the property on July 16 and noticed 15 to 20 dogs on the property with others heard inside. One dog reportedly appeared blind, some appeared malnourished, while others indicated either fearful or aggressive behavior.

Thompson reportedly stated there were at least two litters of puppies underneath a deck to the home and that some puppies died before reaching adulthood, according to the report. She also said when she could not afford to feed the dogs, they would go and hunt or steal food from neighboring properties.

Neighbors stated they had found deceased dogs in plastic bags around Thompson’s property. Weitz later returned to the property and took into custody three adult dogs and one puppy.

The remainder of the animals were taken during the September rescue. The exterior of the residence was reportedly dilapidated, and one of the rescuers fell through a rotted board on the porch.

Two of the dogs were located outside the residence.

Thompson voluntarily surrendered the rescued dogs, which mostly included Chihuahuas with some Pomeranians and Jack Russell terriers. They were taken to the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in New Jersey and were available for adoption through the Dane County Humane Society.

Thompson in a later interview told authorities she estimated she had between 30 and 40 dogs since 2001, according to the complaint. She said she would either keep the deceased dogs in containers, bury them or “put them in the weeds.”

She also told authorities she believes about 20 puppies were born at the residence and also had 19 cats but didn’t know what happened to them.

Thompson, who’s since moved to a different residence, admitted to authorities that she had not responsibly cared for the dogs but had tried to care for them the best she could, according to the compliant.

(LaCrosse Tribune - Dec 10, 2014)