Boone County dog breeder indicted on 29 felony counts of animal abuse
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Boone County dog breeder accused of animal abuse is facing a significant number of felony charges after she was indicted by a grand jury on Friday.
Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, is now charged with 29 counts of animal abuse. All of the counts are felonies. She was previously charged with three felony counts and 15 misdemeanor counts of animal abuse.
An arraignment for the new set of charges is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday. She is being held at the Phelps County Jail without bond, though she is listed on Boone County’s online jail roster.
During a hearing on Thursday, a Judge Kayla Jackson-Williams said she would consider a bond and ordered a detention study to be done. A hearing on that decision was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30. A lawyer for the state had argued that Sanders is a flight risk because she is involved in a relationship with someone from Texas.
Sanders ran Magnum Opus German Shepherds and a number of dead dogs, including a dozen dog skulls, were found at the property of the business when law enforcement served a search warrant, according to court documents in previous reporting. Several malnourished dogs were also found at the property.
Court documents say at least two living dogs that were found were on the brink of death.
The living dogs were turned over to the Central Missouri Humane Society after Sanders was arrested. Owners of the dogs were contacted and reunited with the animals.