Owner Of Dog Rescue Organization Arrested, Accused Of Neglect
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Nearly 40 dogs are safe after authorities seized them from an organization that was supposed to be giving them a second chance. Investigators carried away the dogs in kennels from Luv Me Again Rescue's office in Bloomington Tuesday. Police arrested the group's operator, saying she neglected the animals.
One by one officers carried out dogs in kennels from this Bloomington warehouse.
"I wish we would've said something sooner," Jerrid Buotto, who works nearby, said.
Buotto said he noticed a foul odor, but never saw an animal.
"I've always noticed it smelled like dog, like dirty dog, maybe like feces and stuff like that just never understood what the severity of it could be," Buotto said.
"Our animal control officer was first on scene," Bloomington Police Deputy Chief Mike Hartley said.
A 911 call to Bloomington Police prompted officers to check out the warehouse and obtain a search warrant. They called in the Animal Humane Society, who found 37 dogs inside.
"The dogs were confined to individual cages, some, multiple animals to small plastic kennel crates, deplorable sanitary conditions, no water," Animal Humane Society Agent Keith Streff said.
Police arrested Bethany Beilby, who runs Luv Me Again Animal Rescue, on probable cause of animal neglect.
The rescue website says all of their animals live in foster care not in a shelter, and "They receive full medical attention, as well as food, water, shelter and of course, LOVE."
"I wouldn't allow animals to be subject to these conditions in that kind of environment so they need to be removed at the very least and then we'll follow the evidence where it leads us," Streff said.
Veterinarians with the Animal Humane Society are checking out the dogs. Beilby has 10 days to challenge the seizure. She is out of jail. We attempted to reach her but have not received a response.