Officials Investigate After Several Dead Dogs Found at Suburban Animal Hospital

Four deceased dogs were discovered along with 10 other animals in "various stages of emaciation"

The Cook County Sheriff's office is investigating after "multiple dead animals" were found inside the Dolton Animal Hospital in conditions investigators called "deplorable."

Officials said a Dolton police officer brought a stray dog to the suburban Chicago hospital Sunday afternoon and found several dead dogs inside.

"It was a lot of feces, urine, there were dead animals," Deputy Chief Michael Anton with the Cook County Sheriff's office said. "Not a pleasant smell or sight for that matter because the animals were in various stages of decay."

Anton said four deceased dogs were discovered along with 10 other animals in "various stages of emaciation," including nine dogs and one cat.

The Cook County Animal Control was at the facility,  located at 15022 Lincoln Ave., Sunday evening removing deceased and living animals.

The hospital provides medical and grooming services and the sheriff's office said the village contracts the facility to house stray animals.

"There was a fair amount of neglect going on here, no question about that," Anton said.

Several ill animals were being transported to other animal hospitals for treatment, officials said.

"I was kind of alarmed," said Dolton Mayor Riley Rogers, who said he asked inspectors to visit the building last week after noticing exterior violations. "The grass had grown high, there were some conditions that were not that great so I asked the inspector to come by and issue some citations."

An employee at the scene declined to comment on the investigation.

No charges had been filed as of Monday morning, but officials say the priority was making sure the animals received the care they needed.

 "Our main concerns were the animals. Some of them were in pretty bad shape," Anton said. "Right now we just have to figure out what was going on in there."

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