Indiana dog rescue owner faces charges of animal neglect

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) – The owner of a northwest Indiana dog rescue faces charges of animal neglect after the organization was raided by authorities.

The Times of Munster reports 47-year-old Kenneth D. Wilson, the owner of PawsHere near Shelby, faces 12 misdemeanor counts of abandonment or neglect of vertebrate animals.

According to court records, officers raided the PawsHere property in December and found two dead dogs and 10 emaciated dogs, as well as what appeared to be a mass grave. Authorities say the grounds were examined closely in a second raid in January, and officers found the bodies of 26 more dogs.

Wilson took over as rescue president in 2010. Authorities say his estranged girlfriend told detectives that he kicked out board members in 2013 and started running the group alone.

A message seeking comment was left with Wilson.