Tina McKinnon, 45, was taken into custody in Linn, Wisconsin early on Thursday. She faces charges of felony aggravated animal cruelty and misdemeanor cruel treatment to animals.
This type of felony is typically punishable with probation or up to three years in prison, Sheriff's Lt. Richard Roodhouse said.
The shocking discovery was made by Cole Eshleman, the property's owner, who heard barking while working in a machine shed at 1358 Heitter Road.
More than 30 dogs ran out when he opened the door.
He said McKinnon had only moved in after Christmas.
Animal control warden Kristin Laue said the dogs had been given free rein in the house.
'There were feces all over the house, urine, of course, dogs everywhere: dogs in closets, dogs in the stove, in the duct work,' Laue told The Journal Standard.
Some dogs had been confined to crates.
A search warrant was obtained and animal control authorities, Friends Forever Humane Society and a private citizen rounded up the dogs, a process that took almost five hours.
They counted 29 dead cats and 36 dead dogs.
'I don't think that person lived in the house. I think that person supposedly lived in a car,' Stepheson County Assistant State's Attorney, Joe Lentz, told ABC 17 Eyewitness News.
Stephenson County Animal Control received a call that a pack of dogs was running down Heitter Road.
'Just a whole lot of dogs ... like 40 dogs running along the road,' Lentz said.
He added that the dogs kept running back to the home, which is how animal control knew they had the correct location.
They got a search warrant to enter the home and discovered all the animals inside.
'Some animals... couldn't be removed I guess. They were kind of like stuck to the floor and stuff like that. And, some puppies were in an oven, just for protection, apparently,' said Lentz.
Mackinnon had contacted animal control and an animal rescue organization in recent weeks, and she told them she was a rescuer and needed help, Laue said.
The woman gave away a few animals but didn't hold up her end of other agreements and did not give an address.
'We tried to help her, but she never took us up on it,' Laue said. 'It was just a matter of time before something happened where we found out where she was.'
The dogs ranged in age from young puppies to adults, likely 10 to 12 years old, Laue said.
Sixty-one dogs are being held temporarily at Freeport Animal Hospital, where Laue works, and the rest have been dispersed to area shelters.
Many of the smaller dogs are sociable and appear to be in good health, but have parasites and skin conditions associated with contact with feces.
Donations are being accepted at the animal hospital, including small towels and rags, newspapers, dog food and dish soap.
Stephenson County, Illlinois Sheriff's Department officials say they are coordinating with Walworth County, Wisconsin officers for McKinnon's extradition.
Eshleman said that he didn't yet have a damage estimate for his property, but he anticipated having to cut out and replace the flooring throughout the house.
McKinnon told him she cleaned homes and had two dogs, Eshleman said, and Laue believes she had previously lived in Texas and Wisconsin.
McKinnon has been in trouble for having too many dogs before according to authorities.
She was kicked out of a Whiteside County apartment for having too many dogs and fined in Winnebago County in 2013 for having 22 dogs, four of which were not vaccinated.
The Journal Standard also reported that this is not the first time McKinnon has damaged a home to this extent.
In March 2013 she left a property in Winnebago County in such a state that every room had to be gutted including all the bedrooms and the finished basement.
(Daily Mail - March 20, 2015)
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