FRUITLAND, Iowa — The Muscatine Police Department on Thursday charged both Douglas, 65, and Karen Elshoff, 61, with 42 counts of animal neglect after as many dogs were removed from their mobile home in Fruitland, Iowa, according to a news release from the department.
Upon receiving an anonymous tip, Muscatine police arrived on Feb. 10 at the mobile home on Main Street in Fruitland to find an overcrowded and unsanitary environment and a lack of access to food and medical care for dogs ranging from two weeks to 15 years old.
Muscatine Humane Society Director Chris McGinnis told News 8 that most of the dogs suffered from skin, vision, hearing and weight loss due to the terrible conditions they endured inside the trailer.
The Elshoffs signed over custody of all 42 dogs voluntarily to the humane society to be housed and treated, according to the release. They were released from jail Thursday on a promise to appear in court.
This was the third animal neglect case Muscatine County reported since 2021.