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Southern MN pet rescue under investigation after multiple dead dogs found on property

By and
Published  November 20, 2025 4:11pm CST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 9
Animal neglect investigation underway in Watonwan County

Animal neglect investigation underway in Watonwan County

Authorities are investigating after several dogs were reportedly found to be malnourished and neglected in Watonwan County. FOX 9's Karen Scullin has the full report.

The Brief

    • A nonprofit pet rescue is under investigation in Watonwan County after multiple dead dogs were found on the property.
    • The property owners were the ones who reported the animal neglect, as they were letting a friend use their property for the pet rescue.
    • The rescue owner admitted she was overwhelmed and didn't intend for the situation to worsen.

ST. JAMES, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Watonwan County pet rescue is being investigated by authorities after reports of several dead dogs and dogs in poor condition on the rescue's property. 

Watonwan County pet rescue neglect investigation

What we know:

According to the Watonwan County Sheriff's Office, on Nov. 15 around 7 p.m., authorities received a report from a property owner saying they found multiple dogs in poor condition on their property that they don't reside on. 

The owner told law enforcement that they had given a friend permission to run a nonprofit pet rescue on the property. The pet rescue owner was reportedly contacted and "given an opportunity to address the animals' health concern," authorities said. 

On Nov. 16, the owners called deputies back to the property, stating they found multiple dead dogs there. The Animal Humane Society responded with investigators and removed the surviving dogs from the property and took them to get evaluated by a veterinarian, law enforcement said. Multiple garbage bags containing dead dogs were found, with one bag revealing a severely decayed carcass.

The rescue owner explained to investigators that she had been struggling mentally and was overwhelmed by the situation. 17 living dogs were rescued, but they are severely malnourished.

The backstory:

The rescue owner reportedly acquired most of the dogs through Facebook and Craigslist. The Watonwan County case has been handed over to the county attorney for review, though no charges have been filed yet.

There are reports of other locations in Minnesota experiencing similar situations, and those investigations are ongoing.

What we don't know:

It is unclear if or when charges will be filed against the rescue owner. The extent of similar situations in Minnesota is still being investigated.

The Source: This story uses information shared in a news release from the Watonwan County Sheriff's Office. 

Crime and Public SafetyMinnesotaPets and Animals