Alger man arrested for animal cruelty

MUNISING - The fate of several dogs is not yet known after they were taken from the property of a Chatham area man who faces a charge of animal cruelty.

Robert Johnson was out on bond earlier this week after being arrested on a felony charge of cruelty, which can involve from four to nine animals, according to Alger County Prosecutor Karen Bahrman. She added that Johnson also faces a misdemeanor charge of having unlicensed dogs.

He was arraigned on the charges in 93rd District Court in Munising June 25 and faces a preliminary hearing next Thursday, Bahrman said.

A male and female dog underwent surgery Tuesday at the office of veterinarian Tim Hunt, whose practice is based in the Marquette County community of Harvey, according to Alger County Animal Shelter manager Don Ostrom.

The dogs each have growths several inches across, Ostrom said. The growth on the female dog was on its mammary glands, while the one on the male was on its right shoulder.

Shelter assistant manager Amanda Wolfe said Saturday that results aren't yet available about whether the growths are cancerous.

A total of five dogs, all mixed husky breeds, have been removed and were later surrendered by Johnson out of the 27 he has on his property, Bahrman said. Bahrman and Ostrom said they believe that all or almost all of the canines at the rural location are also mixed huskies.

The case began around June 15, when an Alger County sheriff's deputy first visited Johnson's property, Bahrman said. It is not known how the deputy discovered the problem animals, since the sheriff's department referred all questions about the case to the prosecutor.

At the time of the deputy's visit, one male dog was removed that was in particular distress, Bahrman said.

That dog has been adopted by the deputy and is in need of 24-hour care, according to Wolfe.

After that first dog was removed, Hunt was asked to assess the other 26 dogs several days later and on the visit to Johnson's property, all but four of the canines were determined to be in good enough health to remain there, according to Bahrman.

While two of the seized dogs have possible cancerous growths, others have more superficial physical injuries, Ostrom and Wolfe said, including skin infections, several varieties of worms, and one with a four-inch cut across its lip.

The four dogs seized during Hunt's visit are in the care of the shelter, located in Munising, according to Ostrom.

"The good news is that all of them are gaining weight," Wolfe said.

The dogs also have wounds that aren't physical.

"They're scared; half of them you can tell have never been on a leash before," Ostrom said. "They seem to be looking for nothing but someone to care about them, someone to be nice to them.

"Once they're socialized, they're going to be easily adoptable. They'll give you unrequited love."

However, they won't be eligible for adoption until the legal case is resolved.

"(The prosecutor) has asked us to keep track of their health since they came in," Ostrom said.

Wolfe said Saturday that about $3,000 has already been spent on their care.

"About 80 or 90 percent of (our funds) come from donations, and a case like this can drain you," Ostrom said.

He added that general contributions to the shelter, or ones specifically for this case, are being accepted. For more information, visit the shelter's Web site at www.petfinder.com/shelters/munising.html, e-mail algercountyanimals@yahoo.com, or call the shelter at 387-4131. Its normal hours of operation are 9 a.m. to noon seven days a week and evenings when a volunteer is available.