Over 80 Mistreated Animals Seized from Property in Hines, Many Unaccounted for

A cat found at a property in Hines where many animals are still unaccounted for and two people were arrested for felony animal mistreatment. (Credit: Animal Humane Society)

After two people were arrested in Hines last week for felony animal mistreatment, more than 80 animals have been seized from their property over the past few days so they can receive proper housing and medical care. But over 100 of those animals are still unaccounted for.

The residence in Hines was reportedly housing over 200 cats, 50 dogs, and 18 horses, all in unsuitable living conditions.

“That’s what our initial count was,” said Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs. “It was very difficult because a lot of them were feral and running around the property, so we didn’t get super accurate counts, but we were pretty close, we thought, with those numbers.”

The original investigation started in mid-October, but due to the complexity of getting medical care and suitable housing for the high number of animals, authorities couldn’t begin the seizure until early December. After animals were removed from the property, the only shelter in Minnesota equipped to handle the volume of care was the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley.

“And so ultimately on December 6th, our staff, along with a number of AHS workers, went up there and recovered approximately 60 animals, a little better than that,” said Riggs. “And then here, as of this past Monday, we went up there and recovered an additional 16 horses.”

“They didn’t have adequate food, water, shelter, medical care from the situations they were living in,” explained Animal Humane Society Chief Medical Officer Dr. Graham Brayshaw. “Many of them had respiratory disease, other illnesses that weren’t being treated. They all had fleas, had upper respiratory infection, and had some painful eye infections and other issues that weren’t being treated as well.”

The property’s residents, Debra Marshall and Douglas Erickson, were arrested for felony animal mistreatment and were taken to the Beltrami County Jail.

“[The animals’] condition is they didn’t even get basic care,” Dr. Brayshaw said. “There are standards, of course – food, housing, water, shelter – and they were barely getting enough to eke out and survive. We saw them actually, one of the earlier times on scene even fighting over a piece of stool between them to eat. They were that hungry.”

This is an ongoing investigation, so information like how the conditions got to this point or how long it has been going on for is currently unknown. Over 250 animals were counted alive, but the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office said that they found too many bones to count on the property.

“We are examining the numerous bones and fragments that were found on the scene in an ash pile next to an outdoor wood furnace that was on the property,” said Dr. Brayshaw.

The site, which still has many animals unaccounted for, is made up of many small shelters, very few of which are fully enclosed and none of which have heat.

Dr. Brayshaw added, “Inside the house itself, inside the shelter, the floors themselves are actually squishy from the amount of excrement and everything that is built up over, usually months and sometimes years.”

Despite the dire living conditions, some of the rescues will be well enough to be put up for adoption as soon as next week. While the total process will take months, the Animal Humane Society is trying to re-home all of them. Any inquiries can be made at the Animal Humane Society website.