Owner of Boone County dog breeding business charged with animal abuse after dead dogs, remains found
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The owner of a dog-breeding and boarding business in Boone County has been charged with several counts of animal abuse after several dead dogs and remains were found.
Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, has been charged with three counts of felony animal abuse and 15 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.
The probable cause statement and information on the Secretary of State’s website shows Sanders owns Magnum Opus German Shepherds.
The statement says deputies were called to the business after Sanders brought a dead dog to a veterinarian and an autopsy determined the dog died from strangulation. The dog was boarded at the business at the time of its death, the statement says. Court documents say Animal Control was called to the business before for reports of dogs dying in their care.
“Animal Control stated they have spoken to Melissa in the past about doing a walkthrough of the residence, but Melissa was hesitant,” the statement says.
Animal Control went to serve a search warrant on Thursday, but no one answered when they arrived. Animal Control found a litter of puppies outside with no food or water, as well as unattended dogs inside the building along with a “strong odor,” the statement says.
Officers ended up finding four dead dogs outside the building “and an upwards of a dozen dog skulls were located in black garbage bags, inside and outside of the residence, near dog kennels,” the statement says.
Deputies wrote that Animal Control found several malnourished dogs inside the building “no food or water and appeared to be eating other deceased dogs.”
A total of 16 living dogs were found and two were on the brink of death, the deputy wrote. Five “intact” dead dogs were found along with several dog skulls, the statement says.
“The accurate number of total deceased dogs and dog skulls located is yet to be determined and is expected to rise,” the deputy wrote.
Sanders was eventually arrested Thursday during a traffic stop.