DELTA COUNTY, Mich. (WWJ) – A woman in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula could be looking at up to seven years in jail after pleading guilty to animal cruelty charges in connection with a puppy mill at her home.
Authorities discovered more than 100 dogs, many of which appeared malnourished, after a Michigan State Police trooper responded to a call of a horse that had gotten loose and was running on a roadway in Maple Ridge Township.
Once the trooper got the horse secured at Rebecca Johnson’s house, the trooper noticed a large amount of dogs that appeared to be underweight and an overwhelming smell of feces, according to the Delta County Prosecutor’s Office.
When the trooper investigated further, they found even more dogs in outdoor kennels that appeared underweight and had matted fur. Many dogs had apparent injuries as well, the prosecutor’s office said.
Police executed a search warrant at Johnson’s property later that day. Authorities 135 dogs and 23 horses from the property.
Officials say 69 of the 135 dogs were puppies. Several dogs were soon determined to be pregnant and the total number of dogs soon approached 200.
All the animals were seized by the Delta Animal Shelter and underwent medical evaluations and received necessary treatment.
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Last January, Johnson forfeited ownership of her animals and the Delta Animal Shelter began allowing families to adopt the dogs and horses.
Johnson on Wednesday pleaded as charged to one felony count of abandoning/cruelty of more than 25 animals and one misdemeanor count of unregistered animal shelter/pound.
Johnson was scheduled to go on trial in front of a jury next week, but her plea canceled that trial.
She’s now scheduled to be sentenced in early July.
Acting Delta County Prosecutor Lauren Wickman called it “a win for the whole community.”
"No plea offer was ever even considered in this circumstance," Wickman said.
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