KENOSHA, Wis — A Kenosha woman has been charged with several counts of mistreating animals after she admitted to knowingly selling puppies that were ill with a deadly and contagious disease.
Authorities said 37-year-old Jacqulyn Hutchison sold at least four puppies with parvovirus, which is a highly contagious and deadly disease that effects the gastrointestinal tracts and is spread by direct dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated feces, according to the American Vetrinary Medical Association.
Court records show the suspect sold the puppies on Craigslist in early June. A couple weeks later, the four families that purchased dogs from the suspect, contacted police after finding out their new puppies had parvovirus.
The images are heartbreaking. A Racine family bought a poor puppy named Remy. Little did they know he was already fighting a losing battle.
"It was depressing," said one of the victims. "My daughter got them for her graduation gift, and she full on took care of the dog, and then she woke up to give him his medicine and take him out and he was already gone."
One of the victims who doesn't want to be identified said she paid a woman $150 dollars for the shepherd/pit bull mix puppy.
"The next day it was still sick. It wasn't eating. It was having diarrhea. We took it to the vet, tested parvo," said the victim.
The victim's family spent about $500 bucks confirming Remy had parvovirus.
"It's sad, other puppies made it, ours didn't," she said.
Four separate complaints dating back to early June led police to Hutchison's home in Kenosha. Court records show Hutchison told detectives she had been buying and reselling dogs online for the past four years.
"The defendant immediately knew that the puppies were in danger of parvo from being exposed to the grass area," read the criminal complaint.
When police searched her home they found 10 dogs and feces covering this wooden deck where she allegedly kept the puppies.
Meanwhile, one of the victims wants others looking for a puppy to learn from her mistake so they don't have to suffer the same pain.
"Never buy from Craigslist ever," she said. "I would probably go through a breeder and adopt."
Hutchison is due back in court next week. If she's found guilty on all 7 counts, she could spend up to 8 years behind bars.
