Dogs found dead in Miami County could be linked to other Kansas cases
LOUISBURG, Kan. — Last week, the Miami County Sheriff’s Office found 10 dead Great Danes and 10 other dogs in a condition that required immediate medical attention.
It happened while deputies were conducting an animal welfare check at a property on Rockville Road in rural Louisburg, Kansas.
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The Miami County Sheriff’s Office launched an animal cruelty investigation, and now detectives believe that this incident could be linked to a larger operation across the state of Kansas.
“This is a very sad situation that we’re dealing with,” Miami County Undersheriff Matthew Kelly said.
“It takes a toll on some of the investigators working this. We are animal owners and animal lovers. So we want to make sure that we’re giving the animals that don’t have a voice justice for the actions taken against them.”
The 10 Great Danes were found dead inside a 30-by-60 outbuilding barn on the Rockville Road property between 255th and 263rd streets.
“They were in that barn. Some were deceased. Some were alive on the property. It had no heat source, but it did have electricity,” Kelly explained. “So we believe that some of the cold weather that we had was a contributing factor to their health.”
Investigators believe at least 100 other dogs are in a similar condition, based on investigations in other areas of the state.
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Kelly said Miami County is in contact with other Kansas law enforcement agencies with similar investigations.
“We’re working with other jurisdictions and other law enforcement agencies in Kansas to include the Topeka Police Department,” Kelly said.
“So the case that they’re working, we believe, is tied to our investigation. As well as, we’re working with an outside-of-the-state of Kansas agency that we have not been able to confirm that is related to our case, but we do believe that the Topeka case is related to our investigation.”
On Tuesday, the Topeka Police Department seized 73 animals, 18 of which were dead, from a home and made two arrests in connection with an animal abuse case.
Kelly said they have identified four people involved in the Miami County case, but they haven’t been charged with any crimes yet.
Detectives are working with the Miami County prosecutor, and once the investigation is complete, they expect formal charges to include felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty.
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“It’s terrible, and I’m surprised it’s happening around here because most of the people I know in the area are animal lovers,” said Jeremy Martin, who lives in Louisburg. “I feel bad for all of the animals that were hurt and harmed, and I hope nothing like that ever happens again.”
The dead Great Danes have been taken to K-State University to complete the necropsies and determine a cause of death.
The nine Great Danes and one Shepard mix that survived are currently at Daisy’s Dane Sanctuary. They are showing signs of improvement by eating and gaining weight but are still very sick and have a long road to recovery.
Those dogs are not available for adoption or fostering as they are a part of the ongoing investigation.
Daisy’s Dane Sanctuary is in need of supplies to keep caring for the dogs. They’ve released a list of items:
Bedding for kennels
54-inch kennels
Toys
Metal bowls
Leashes
Collars
Beds
High-calorie supplement — dyne
Cleaning supplies
Treats
Peanut butter
Shampoo
Next Level pet food
Pig ears or bones
Towels for baths
Fish oil for food
Milk Bones
Satin Balls ingredients
Hamburger
Total cereal
Wheat germ
Uncooked oatmeal
Unsulphured molasses
Unflavored gelatin
Oil
Eggs
Anyone interested in donating can call Daisy’s Dane Sanctuary at 816-721-9989 or email info@daisysdanesanctuary.com.
