Police to find 27 canines residing in lady’s minivan, rate her with animal cruelty

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A girl who police discovered with 27 canines residing in a minivan in Grand Rapids has been charged with animal cruelty.

However the lady, 41-year-old Heather Nicole Alexander, stated the entire canines had been correctly cared for and government overstepped their bounds in seizing them.

“They simply destroyed the whole lot,” Alexander stated of government. “I used to be seeking to do one thing excellent.”

The invention was once one in every of two fresh circumstances in West Michigan government seizing a couple of canines over allegations of insufficient care. In Montcalm County, officers seized 65 canines from an Edmore space house.

Within the Kent County case, a sheriff’s deputy came upon Alexander’s 2012 The town & Nation minivan parked in a industry lot within the 3700 block of Alpine Street NW on March 25. The deputy spotted a canine barking within the motive force’s seat.

The deputy then talked to Alexander, who said she had 27 canines she was once coaching to be emotional carrier canines.

The deputy seemed within the van and noticed canines in crates stacked on most sensible of one another, consistent with a likely reason affidavit. The deputy famous that each and every crate had no less than 3 canines within, with “urine and fecal topic” at the crate bottoms.

Consistent with the affidavit, the deputy then despatched footage to Kent County Animal Keep an eye on Manager Scott Dobbins. He then answered to the scene and police seized the animals and took them to the Kent County Animal Safe haven.

Dobbins wrote that lots of the canines didn’t have get entry to to water within the crates and that “the crates had been too small for the quantity of canines that had been in each and every one.”

Alexander’s subsequent courtroom date, a initial examination, is scheduled for Would possibly 9. The rate is a criminal punishable via as much as seven years in jail.

Alexander stated the entire canines are small-breed animals, with the biggest about 19 kilos. She famous she had Sheltie and Chihuahua breeds, nevertheless it wasn’t transparent if there have been different breeds.

Of her canines, seven are adults. The remaining she described as doggies that had been 10 months outdated and more youthful.

Alexander stated she was once in Michigan in December to ship a canine to her daughter. She had come from the Milwaukee space.

However she stated fuel costs avoided her from proceeding her plans to move south and she or he ended up staying right here.

She were searching for a task and an condominium. She stated she would take the canines to parks and allow them to run round two to 3 occasions an afternoon and “I wiped clean up after them repeatedly”

“I’ve been falsely accused of animal abuse and forget,” she stated. “They had been glad and content material and well-cared for.”

Alexander stated she’s hoping to get the canines again.

Steve Kelso, a spokesperson for the Kent County Animal Safe haven, stated it’s unclear when and if the canines can be to be had for adoption. He stated no ready listing has but been created.

Within the Montcalm County case, animal keep watch over officials seized 65 canines on April 12 from a house on North Deja Highway simply north of Edmore.

Montcalm County Animal Keep an eye on Director Autumn Pumford stated her place of work won a criticism from anyone frightened in regards to the animals.

“They simply weren’t receiving ok care,” Pumford stated.

She stated fees could be sought towards one particular person within the case.

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