(WXYZ) — A Warren woman is facing more than 10 counts of animal cruelty after 20 dogs and four turtles were discovered living in deplorable conditions inside her home during a drug investigation.
Watch Carli Petrus's video report:
The Macomb County Sheriff's Office arrested 57-year-old Michelle Reyntiens on Thursday while executing a search warrant on her Hobart Avenue home as part of an investigation led by their undercover drug task force, the Sheriff's Enforcement Team, known as "SET."
During the search, officers discovered 11 puppies, nine adult dogs, and four turtles living in what officials described as poor conditions.
"This was a lot of animals in one small, confined area that was in pretty bad shape," said Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.
Hackel said he and animal control immediately responded to help rescue the animals.
"When we got there, all hands on deck. We were there trying to figure out, okay, how do we bring them out, one at a time, and super sweet dogs, but you could tell, they were very unkempt, some of them needed some medical attention," Hackel said.
All 24 animals are now being cared for at the Macomb County Animal Control Shelter, where they're receiving grooming and medical attention before becoming available for adoption.
Web extra: Dogs rescued from Warren home
Kennel Technician Anna Young said many of the animals required urgent care upon arrival.
"We were dealing with overgrown nails, pretty heavy matting, and urine staining in the fur," Young said.
With 11 puppies among the rescued animals, reuniting them with their mothers presented an additional challenge for shelter staff.
"It was difficult in the beginning because the moms who were close to the puppies know they're scared and they're being protective, so they want their puppies to stay with them, but slowly we were able to figure out what puppies should go where and the moms," Young said.
Young said staff eventually identified three mother dogs and successfully reunited them with their puppies.
The four turtles found at the home were in better condition than the dogs, but are still too young for adoption, according to Young.
"The turtles are in much better condition than the dogs were, but they're still very young, so we have to care for them until they can reach age and size so they can be able to get adopted," Young said.
A neighbor who asked not to be identified said she was shocked to learn about the conditions inside the home.
"It's sad to know that they were not being taken care of. That just breaks my heart," the neighbor said.
Young said all the animals are already showing improvement and becoming more comfortable around people.
Reyntiens is being held in the Macomb County Jail with bond set at $30,000. Her next court date is scheduled for Feb. 26.
Hackel said the public can help by donating money or supplies to assist with medical expenses, grooming, and feeding costs for the rescued animals.
——————————————————————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
