FOND DU LAC COUNTY (NBC 26) — Fond du Lac County has sued two women in civil court amid an investigation into 70 neglected dogs.
Under a judge's order, 93-year-old Alice Stenz and Patricia Tyunaitis have now lost ownership of all the dogs and must pay more than $27,000 for 13 days of their care.
"The statutes allow for you to charge up to $30 a day for custody of the dogs," said Fond du Lac County Corporation Counsel attorney Chelsea Brocker. "There were 70 dogs and it was 13 days since the court hearing on Tuesday, so that's $27,300."
Eastshore Humane Society Manager Jennifer Schultz said she provided information to Fond du Lac County attorneys in the civil case.
"We took as many thorough documents and pictures that we could to really push to fight for these dogs," Schultz said.
Schultz said she assisted the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office earlier this month when she said they removed 70 dogs from Stenz and Tyunaitis's home.
Court documents state that 95 percent of the dogs recovered were in various stages of neglect.
Watch: Fond du Lac County women lose custody of 70 dogs in neglect case
"Some of them will require amputations from how severe the matting was in infections that had started in the legs and toes," Schultz said.
A judge ruled that the Eastshore Humane Association now has custody of the animals, along with the Fond du Lac County Humane Society and the Neenah Humane Society, which took in some of the dogs.
Stenz and Tyunaitis said they are both devastated by the loss of their dogs, saying they tried to take care of the animals and hope to get them back.
Schultz said the custody order means the shelter can start getting serious medical care for the animals.
"We're scheduling appointments all the way to Madison to try to get as many vets to help us,"
Attorney Brocker said the county plans to ask a judge to order the two women to also help pay for this medical care once they have a better idea of the costs.
Schultz said she's grateful for the community support the Eastshore Humane Association has received, and said they're still looking for donations to help cover medical expenses for the dogs.
Monetary donations to Eastshore Humane Association can be through PayPal, mailed to 1100 Park Street, PO Box 320 Chilton WI 53014, or sent by phone (920) 849-2390.
