Woman accused of dog neglect may have to put up money for care while trial goes on
A woman accused of being cruel and neglecting 33 dogs may have to pay for their room and board while awaiting trial.
DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney Alyssa Rabulinski is asking that April Elliott post a bond of $15 per day per dog while they are in the custody of DuPage County Animal Services. That $495 does not include the cost of medications the dogs are taking, she told DuPage Judge Paul Marchese on Monday morning.
Rabulinski is also seeking to have the dogs taken away permanently from Elliott before her trial begins on 132 misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty and failure of owner duties.
Marchese will hear arguments on the bond request Wednesday morning. A date has not been set for the forfeiture request.
Rabulinski said if the animals are forfeited, Animal Services could put the dogs up for adoption.
Animal Services removed the dogs from Elliott's home on Mildred Avenue, near Glen Ellyn, on June 27.
A neighbor had complained about possible mistreatment of the dogs. The neighbor also said the smell of dog feces from the home's yard was overwhelming.
According to court records, most of the dogs were severely emaciated and did not have access to sufficient food and water. Many also had heavily matted coats and overly long nails.
The county animal shelter is seeking temporary foster homes for some of the dogs. Most of the dogs are adult huskies or a husky mix. Flounder, Squid, Albus, Shrimp, Lickety Split and Finn need help gaining weight.
Flounder and Albus will also need to come into the shelter for weekly weigh-ins to track their progress. But shelter officials described each dog as a "sweet gentle boy."
"We'll provide you with all his food and supplies, you provide comfort and love," they wrote on a foster plea board.
Albus, Squid, Shrimp and Lickety Split are considered dog-friendly. Two female puppies, Mika and Rosa, are either a husky or mini Aussie mix.
Anyone interested in fostering a dog should email Carrie.Rezo@dupageco.org.
The criminal charges were filed on June 29. Authorities allege that besides the 33 live dogs, they found nine dead dogs, several dead chinchillas and a dead rabbit. They suspect there are more but could not search the whole house due to a large amount of trash and clutter.
In a separate case, DuPage County has alleged the house is unsafe and unsanitary and sought permission to clean it. On Friday, the prosecutor on that case announced an agreement to allow Elliott and property owner Phillip Elliott 10 days to remove personal belongings. An Animal Services officer will be present to collect any animal carcasses. The Elliotts also agreed to pay for costs the county incurs to finish cleaning the property. A prosecutor estimated that at $27,000.
• Daily Herald staff writer Katlyn Smith contributed to this report