Carrie Klenke (Waupaca Co. Jail)
WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) Carrie Klenke pleaded not guilty Monday to mistreatment of animal charges filed after police officers who entered a Waupaca hotel room for a welfare check were worried they would find a decomposing body due to the foul smell, but instead, they discovered a dog in a zip-tied-closed cage, living in filthy conditions.
Court records show Klenke, 46, also waived a preliminary hearing Monday on with three misdemeanor counts: intentionally mistreating animals, intentionally failing to provide food, and intentionally providing improper shelter.
No trial date was set.
According to the complaint, police were called to a hotel on Fulton Street May 6 for a welfare check. Hotel staff said Klenke had stayed there for more than nine months, but hadn’t been seen in several days and there was a bad odor coming from her room.
“Officer Jensen was standing approximately 10 feet from the door. The foul odor increased once Chad opened the door. The odor smelled like a decomposing body,” the complaint states.
Police were given permission to enter the hotel room to check if there was a body inside. One officer was turned away by the odor, but the other entered the room.
“He plugged his nose and shined his flashlight around the room. He did not see anyone inside but he could hear a dog whimpering and barking. He observed dog pee pads spread around the floor. He was immediately concerned for the dog’s welfare due to the repugnant smell emanating from the room,” the complaint states.
Police were able to reach Klenke, who said a friend was supposed to be taking care of the dog. She gave police permission to check on the dog, named Jax, which is half Dogo and half Boxer.
“Jax was removed from the room by the fire department. Jax was in a kennel and the kennel door was zip tied shut. There was a pile of blankets on the bottom of the kennel that were filthy and crusty. There were a few small pieces of dog food in the blankets. Jax appeared to be a healthy weight. The fire department provided Jax with water. Jax was initially given two bottles of water which he drank. They kept giving him water and Jax drank 4 bottles of water and part of a 5th bottle of water,” the complaint states.
Klenke gave up custody of the dog. Jax was taken to the humane society.
Police later interviewed Klenke, who said she had moved out the hotel about three weeks prior. She could only have one dog at her new apartment, so she took Peaches there, but left Jax at the hotel until she could find him a new home, she said.
Carrie said that since moving out Jax had been leaving feces on the floor and she hadn’t been able to clean it up. Carrie said that when she was living there she had kept the room clean.
He asked “Carrie about the large amount of garbage in the back of the room. Carrie claimed this garbage had accumulated while she was trying to remove everything from the apartment and she had intended on cleaning up the garbage. Carrie stated she would put new blankets in the kennel for Jax. He asked Carrie when she last changed the blankets and Carrie estimated it was 1 week before April 28th but she could not confirm that time. Carrie said that she had been giving Jax food and water every morning and evening after she moved out. Carrie advised that on April 27th she got sick and had to stop working. Carrie said she last went to the hotel room to check on Jax on either April 28th or April 29th,” the complaint states.
Klenke also faces a bail jumping charge, as she was out on bond for an unrelated case.
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