FLINT, MI – Charges have been issued against a husband and wife after police seized more than 60 dogs and cats from a Flint Township home last month.
The Flint Township Police Department announced on Facebook this morning that detectives have continued to work behind the scenes to find the couple after rescuing 60 dogs and three cats, and finding almost 30 dead dogs.
On Thursday, March 12, Flint Township detectives contacted the Grand Rapids Police Department and asked them to check an address for 61-year-old Brenda Shires.
In under an hour, Flint Township Police said Grand Rapids Police had Shires in custody, and arrangements were made to transfer her to the Genesee County Jail.
Shires was arraigned on March 13 on charges, including two felony charges. She was issued a $150,000 bond.
But police said the search continues for her husband, 65-year-old Kim Shires, who they believe fled to Tennessee to avoid prosecution.
The couple faced a seven-year felony of abandoning/cruelty to 25 or more animals, a four-year felony of killing/torturing animals, and a misdemeanor related to improper disposal of deceased animals, which carries a minimum punishment of 30 days in jail.
The animals were removed from the home on Feb. 17 due to concerns about their welfare.
Police described the conditions in which they found the animals as “physically revolting and emotionally draining.”
Officers also took 26 dead dogs and one dead cat from the home on North Elms Road near the border of Flint and Clayton townships.
Animal Control Director Jay Parker said some of the dogs suffered from fleas and worms. Others showed signs of bite marks around the head, likely from fighting over food.
The dogs ranged in age from newborn puppies to older dogs, according to a news release from the prosecutor’s office. All seven puppies aged 5-6 weeks had bloated abdomens. Every dog older than that had new and older bite wounds to their ears and muzzle.
One of the dogs seized had to be euthanized due to a severe buildup of abdominal fluid. The condition had grown so severe that the dog could barely walk and was causing respiratory distress from restriction of the diaphragm.
“The work isn’t done. Those animals, including the ones who were left to die, deserve justice,” wrote Flint Township Police Department. “We’ll continue to fight for them during the search for Kim and advocate for them during the court process.”
Those with any information regarding the whereabouts of Kim Shires should contact Crime Stoppers of Flint & Genesee County or Detective Lopez at 810-600-3250.
