Mich. man who had more than 100 live dogs, dead dogs in freezer is charged

Mich. man who had more than 100 dogs is charged

DETROIT — A man found to have more than 100 live dogs and 150 dead ones in his Detroit-area home was charged Thursday with animal cruelty.

Kenneth Lang Jr., 56, was found in July to be hoarding the dogs, mostly Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said.

Some of the dead dogs found in freezers in the home may have been killed with an injection to the heart or partially eaten by other dogs, Worthy said.

“These dogs died from emaciation, poor nutrition, dehydration and severe puncture wounds, and there were signs of post-mortem cannibalization,” Worthy said. “Some of the dogs appeared to have been euthanized via an injection to their hearts.”

Worthy declined to elaborate on the injections. Prosecutors said evidence shows dogs were eating dead dogs in the home, and that detail about the puncture wounds would be addressed in court.

Lang’s attorney James Schmier said he was “disheartened” by the decision to bring charges in the case. He said Lang needs treatment for an obsessive-compulsive disorder, and shouldn’t be punished.

“He is a very sick guy and I didn’t think in this day and age we prosecuted sick people,” Schmier said.

Dearborn police said Lang was disoriented when they removed him from the house July 22. He was evaluated and placed in a group home. Police found the dogs after a neighbor complained of the smell, and said the number of animals likely had been growing for several years.

Live dogs were found over several days amid feces and garbage in the home, and the dead dogs were found in basement freezers. The house, which had a neatly cut lawn and manicured bushes, is expected to be demolished.

The home’s neat outside appearance and Lang’s efforts to conceal the smell by sealing doors and windows factored into the decision to charge Lang, Worthy said. Some live dogs were kept in containers without food or water, and a veterinarian last had contact with some of the dogs in 2003.

Lang is charged with two counts of cruelty to 10 or more animals — one count related to the living dogs and the second for the dead dogs. If convicted, he faces probation to up to four years in prison on each felony count.

Schmier said he plans to take the case to trial, if necessary. Lang was arraigned in 19th District Court in Dearborn and is free on personal bond. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sept. 11.

more than 50 of the surviving dogs have been adopted, and homes are being sought for dozens of others, said Sandra Boulton, a spokeswoman for the Dearborn Animal Shelter. Some dogs have social and medical issues, she said.

On the Net:

Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter: www.dearbornanimals.org