Milwaukee workers return to North Teutonia home to find more information on dead animals

Milwaukee city staff returned to a home being investigated for the death of over 30 dead animals on Tuesday in an effort to find animal microchips.

Staff returned to the North Teutonia Avenue home one week after workers found numerous dead animals and remains during a routine tax foreclosure investigation. The home has since turned into the site of an animal abuse investigation, with city workers at the property on Tuesday morning seeking microchips — a permanent identification tool for pets — in animal remains to identify the animals and whether it was owned by the resident of the home or a different individual.

Department of Neighborhood Services spokesperson Jeremy McGovern confirmed the city, who took ownership of the property on June 14, was preparing the property for the home to be demolished and that workers found microchips on the property. He said representatives from the city, the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission and police were at the property on Tuesday.

Police have not yet arrested anyone, and no charges have been made, the Milwaukee Police Department said in an email statement. Authorities continue to seek a known suspect, police said.

Last week, police said they also recovered multiple firearms from the home.

The animals were found last week when workers from the city's Department of Neighborhood Services were conducting a tax foreclosure investigation. They found numerous dead animals, which included dead dogs, birds and reptiles, primarily in the home's basement.

There were signs during last week’s investigation that the property owner had been at the home that morning, with candles burning in the house when staff arrived, McGovern said.

On Tuesday, he said workers found a minimum of 25 dead dogs, in addition to the three dogs in critical condition. Some animals' remains were found already in bags. A rescued turtle was later euthanized, McGovern said.

“This was kind of a surprise to all of us,” he said. “Something that’s pretty routine, to turn into a mess like this.”

There’s no clear timeline for the house’s demolition, McGovern said. That’s due to several factors, including identifying gas or electric lines and if any asbestos is in the house. Once the house is demolished, the city will move to sell the lot, he said.

In 2023, city records show Milwaukee police reported three dogs were left outside of the house without food, water, or shelter. They were in “critical need of care,” according to the report. A city inspector confiscated the dogs and gave them to the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission for safekeeping, records show.

McGovern said there wouldn't have been a subsequent inspection without further complaint. He encouraged people to report concerns of animal abuse to the city.

“It doesn’t have to get to this,” he said.

On Tuesday, MADACC declined to comment on the investigation citing it as ongoing.

The investigation into the home is the first major animal abuse investigation in Milwaukee in years.

In 2022, Larry McAdoo was charged with two felonies and 10 misdemeanors relating to his treatment of 113 animals at his home. The animals were found covered in their own feces, dogs were malnourished and kept in enclosures lacking food or water. McAdoo ultimately pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors in the case, according to online court records.

In 2012, Terry Cullen, a well-known reptile conservationist, pleaded no contest to an amended charge of fourth-degree sexual assault in a case that involved the seizing of hundreds of animals at his property . He faced misdemeanors related to his housing of the animals.

Cullen was charged but never convicted of the misdemeanors or the fourth-degree sexual assault.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee workers return to North Teutonia home to find more information on dead animals