Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Polk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 59-year-old Winter Haven woman on Thursday after finding a dead donkey, dying cats, and hazardous living conditions on her property.
Winter Haven animal cruelty investigation
What we know:
Polk County Animal Control officers and officials from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection went to the property on Logan Lane earlier in the week to investigate reported diseased and dead animals alongside an alleged chemical leak. When state officials arrived, they said they spotted a dead donkey lying in the yard.
Investigating officers reported smelling animal decomposition coming from a trash can near the property gate. According to an affidavit, dirt around the donkey showed signs of thrashing, indicating the animal experienced severe pain and distress before dying.
Suspect response and environmental test results
What they're saying:
The suspect, Melissa McKinney, claimed the donkey was alive earlier when she went inside her house. However, court records show she later admitted the animal had been lying in the same spot since the previous weekend, unable to stand, and she had not called a veterinarian due to a "lack of time."
State environmental officials tested the air and water quality on the property. Investigators found no evidence of a gas leak or hazardous chemical spill matching McKinney's claims.
Property conditions and animal seizure
The backstory:
Investigators stated they found multiple dead cats scattered across the yard and several others suffering from labored breathing. McKinney told officers that 10 to 15 additional dead cats were inside a dumpster, causing the strong smell of decomposition.
Officers noted that multiple containers of antifreeze were sitting in the yard with closed lids, while open plastic, metal, and ceramic containers held stagnant water containing live insect larvae. The property also had unpermitted solid waste piles, a burn pit near a creek, and excessive animal waste attracting heavy swarms of flies and mosquitoes, according to deputies.
Seized animals and pending charges
What's next:
Detectives served a search warrant and removed a pony and two dogs in fair condition. They said five cats were also seized in extremely poor condition, all of which died shortly after being rescued, along with four dead cats and the deceased donkey.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the living animals will undergo rehabilitation in hopes of finding them loving homes.
"These poor animals likely could have been saved had this suspect only called someone for help. Now she's facing serious felonies. Hopefully, the living animals we seized can be rehabilitated and eventually adopted out to loving families," said Judd.
McKinney was booked into jail on three felony counts of animal cruelty, two counts of maintaining a nuisance injurious to health, three counts of operating an unpermitted solid waste site, and two counts of unauthorized possession of dairy cases, with additional charges pending necropsy results, according to PCSO.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not released official necropsy results confirming the exact cause of death for the donkey and cats.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official court affidavits and arrest reports provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, along with statements from Sheriff Grady Judd and officials with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.