Woman charged after police find 2 dead dogs in a Burnsville apartment

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — A Rosemount woman is facing charges after police found two dead dogs in a Burnsville apartment she was renting.

According to the criminal complaint, the 38-year-old woman faces two charges of mistreatment of animals.

On June 11, police were asked to check an apartment unit with a report of a bad smell coming from it. The court document said the property manager opened the front door for officers, who found a dead dog at the bottom of the stairs and another dead dog upstairs.

The entire unit was covered in what appeared to be dog feces, according to the document, and was vacant.

According to the document, officers couldn't get ahold of the 38-year-old until June 17, six days after the discovery of the dead dogs.

An officer spoke to the woman on the phone, who said she had been working several jobs and long hours. The woman estimated she last checked on her dogs around May 27, the document said.

She also told the officer her vehicle was broken down and she couldn't find a temporary home for the dogs but didn't want to surrender them. The document said she lost track of time with everything that had happened and never got back to her apartment to care for her dogs.

On May 11, a neighbor had called about dogs barking and seeing no one around, the document said. At that time, officers contacted the woman's mother who said the 38-year-old was overworking herself. The mother said she would bring her to the hospital.

Each charge has a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.