CARLTON — Two former Cloquet residents have been sentenced to probation for abandoning seven cats at their dwelling in late December, inflicting 5 to die.
Karlee Lynn Strum, 32, and Dominic James Welch, 28, have been arrested in Arkansas earlier this 12 months after the pets have been
found on the condo, having been left with out enough meals or water for 18 days.
Welch in Might pleaded responsible to a felony depend of mistreating animals and was sentenced June 10 by Choose Rebekka Stumme to 2 years of supervised probation. Nonetheless, he obtained a keep of imposition, which might enable the conviction to be transformed to a misdemeanor.
Contributed / Carlton County Animal Rescue
Welch additionally agreed to pay $960 in veterinary payments incurred by
Carlton County Animal Rescue,
per the phrases of an settlement with the Carlton County Legal professional’s Workplace.
Strum the identical day pleaded responsible to a misdemeanor depend of mistreating animals and was instantly sentenced by Choose Amy Lukasavitz.
She was granted a keep of adjudication, which might enable the cost to be dismissed upon profitable completion of 1 12 months of unsupervised probation.
Each have been ordered to not get any new pets throughout their probationary durations.
The cats have been found within the condo, 803 18th St., by one other individual Jan. 16, roughly 18 days after the couple left city. 4 have been already lifeless. Three others have been taken in by rescue volunteers, however one died the identical evening.
Board member Erin Thompson informed the Information Tribune in February that the 2 survivors, who they named Roger and Frankie, have been “severely dehydrated,” emaciated and coping with respiratory infections and different well being points.
They have been seen the subsequent morning at Duluth Veterinary Hospital and continued to obtain follow-up therapy over the next weeks to get wholesome sufficient to be adopted into long-term properties.
The physique of the ultimate sufferer, whom rescue volunteers known as “Chevy,” was despatched to the College of Minnesota for a necropsy to help within the investigation, which was carried out by the Cloquet Police Division with help from Minnesota Federated Humane Societies.
Authorities decided the couple left for Arkansas on Dec. 29, with each defendants telling police that somebody was purported to be watching the cats. Nonetheless, they reportedly supplied completely different names and police have been unable to confirm that anybody had agreed to take action.
Contributed / Carlton County Animal Rescue
The couple deliberate to return to Cloquet, based on prison complaints, however Strum’s mom informed investigators they as a substitute started in search of residences in Searcy, Arkansas, fearing arrest in the event that they returned to Minnesota.
Nationwide warrants have been later issued by the Carlton County Legal professional’s Workplace and so they have been taken into custody in White County, Arkansas, and extradited to Minnesota.
Every defendant initially confronted 21 fees, together with seven felonies and 14 misdemeanors, earlier than reaching their plea agreements.
Thompson earlier this 12 months described Roger and Frankie as “actually good cats” who desperately wished consideration.
She stated it’s uncommon for a neglect case to succeed in prosecution, crediting the cooperation of witnesses, the necropsy proof and the efforts of volunteers and humane brokers to handle the “unacceptable” actions.
Tom Olsen covers crime and courts and the eighth Congressional District for the Duluth Information Tribune since 2013. He’s a graduate of the College of Minnesota Duluth and a lifelong resident of town. Readers can contact Olsen at 218-723-5333 or [email protected].
