As we reported earlier this week, an off-duty police officer alerted authorities to the bodies of eight dead dogs found on the side of the road in suburban Minnesota. Now, the story has taken a surprising twist. As many as 22 dogs have been rescued from a facility in Andover, Minnesota, in connection with the previously discovered canine carcasses.
22 dogs recovered from building in Minnesota
According to KSTP, at around 10 a.m. today, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office executed a warrant to search a building by the 15800 block of Seventh Avenue Northwest in Andover. The authorities removed 22 dogs from the facility. They believe the eight dogs discovered dead earlier in the week died on the property. Then, someone dumped the carcasses on the side of the road on Grey Cloud Island Drive. However, it is still unclear what the facility is, who owns it, and how the dogs died.
Staff from the Animal Humane Society (AHS) were on site during the execution of the warrant. AHS took the dogs into its care. At the time of this writing, police have not made any arrests or filed any charges. The cause of death of the eight dogs is still under investigation.
This development follows a “disturbing” scene discovered on Sunday around 12:30 p.m. An off-duty officer reported the carcasses of eight small-breed dogs, ranging in age from puppies to adults, lying together on the side of the road. The cause of death was unclear, but AHS offered to perform necropsies.
Then, two days ago, someone confessed to abandoning the canine carcasses on Grey Cloud Island Drive. However, KSTP reports that the person who dumped the dogs isn’t necessarily the same person who killed the dogs.
Humane society releases statement on dog deaths
While the authorities are not sharing further information at this time, AHS did release a statement to 5 Eyewitness News:
“The Cottage Grove Police Department requested assistance from Animal Humane Society after officers discovered the bodies of eight deceased dogs. In this case, we conducted preliminary necropsies on the eight dogs and forwarded our findings to the Cottage Grove Police Department,” it read.
“At the request of the Cottage Grove Police Department, an AHS humane agent accompanied officers to talk with a suspect in the case,” the statement continued. “As the case developed, AHS humane agents were asked to assist the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office in removing dogs from a property in the county connected with the Cottage Grove case.”
“AHS humane agents are the only full-time professional humane investigators in the state, and we partner with local agencies and community members to provide aid and support whenever possible,” AHS added.
In conclusion, the organization wrote, “While all humane investigations cases are difficult, this was a particularly heartbreaking case. We’re thankful we were able to assist the Cottage Grove Police Department and Anoka County Sheriff’s Office in finding answers in this situation.”
