WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Officers who entered a Waupaca hotel room for a welfare check were worried they would find a decomposing body due to the smell, instead, they found a dog in a zip-tied-closed cage, living in filthy conditions, according to a criminal complaint.
Carrie Klenke, 46, is charged with three misdemeanor counts: intentionally mistreating animals, intentionally failing to provide food, and intentionally providing improper shelter. An initial court appearance is scheduled for May 26.
According to the criminal complaint, police were called to a hotel on Fulton Street on May 6 for a welfare check. Hotel staff said Klenke had stayed there for more than nine months, but hadn’t been seen in several days, and there was a bad smell coming from the room.
An officer was given permission to open the door.
Officer Jensen was standing approximately 10 feet from the door. The foul odor increased once Chad opened the door. The odor smelled like a decomposing body,” the complaint states.
The officers were given permission to enter the room to check to see if there was a body. One was turned away by the smell, but the other entered.
He plugged his nose and shined his flashlight around the room. He did not see anyone inside but he could hear a dog whimpering and barking. He observed dog pee pads spread around the floor. He was immediately concerned for the dog’s welfare due to the repugnant smell emanating from the room,” the complaint states.
Police were able to reach Klenke, who said a friend was to be taking care of the dog. She gave permission to police to check on the dog, Jax. Jax is half Dogo and half Boxer.
Jax was removed from the room by the fire department. Jax was in a kennel and the kennel door was zip tied shut. There was a pile of blankets on the bottom of the kennel that were filthy and crusty. There were a few small pieces of dog food in the blankets. Jax appeared to be a healthy weight. The fire department provided Jax with water. Jax was initially given two bottles of water which he drank. They kept giving him water and Jax drank 4 bottles of water and part of a 5th bottle of water,” the complaint states.
Klenke gave up custody of the dog, which was taken to the humane society.
Police later interviewed Klenke, who said she had moved out the hotel about three weeks before. She could only have one dog at her new apartment, so she took Peaches there, but left Jax at the hotel until she could find him a home.
Carrie said that since moving out Jax had been leaving feces on the floor and she hadn’t been able to clean it up. Carrie said that when she was living there she had kept the room clean. He asked Carrie about the large amount of garbage in the back of the room. Carrie claimed this garbage had accumulated while she was trying to remove everything from the apartment and she had intended on cleaning up the garbage. Carrie stated she would put new blankets in the kennel for Jax. He asked Carrie when she last changed the blankets and Carrie estimated it was 1 week before April 28th but she could not confirm that time. Carrie said that she had been giving Jax food and water every morning and evening after she moved out. Carrie advised that on April 27th she got sick and had to stop working. Carrie said she last went to the hotel room to check on Jax on either April 28th or April 29th,” the complaint states.
Klenke also face a bail jumping charge, as she was on bond for an unrelated case.
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