(Karen Madden, Wausau Daily Herald) A champion sled dog racer charged with neglecting his dogs resulting in eight deaths pleaded not guilty May 18 in Marathon County Circuit Court.
According to Karen Madden with the Wausau Daily Herald, Joseph S. Carey, 29, of Stratford, pleaded not guilty to eight felony counts of mistreatment of animals causing death, 10 misdemeanor counts of intentionally mistreating animals, two misdemeanor counts of intentionally failing to provide food for animals and one misdemeanor count of not providing proper animal shelter or sanitation.
Carey’s attorney, Daniel McGrath, waived Carey’s right to a preliminary hearing May 18. During a preliminary hearing, prosecutors must show a crime probably was committed and the defendant probably did it. Marathon County Court Commissioner Douglas Bauman ordered the case to move forward.
A scheduling conference is scheduled for June 17. According to the criminal complaint, on April 25, Marathon County deputies went to Carey’s property in the Marathon County town of Day after receiving a report of animal abuse. At the property, they found eight dead Eurohounds and two dead goats.
Deputies found 10 dogs alive on the 39-acre property Carey was renting from his father, according to the complaint. The dogs that were alive appeared to be malnourished, according to the complaint. It is unknown how long the dead dogs had been there, but they had maggots on them, according to the complaint.
Deputies interviewed Carey, who said he hadn’t fed the dogs in a month, according to the complaint. Carey said he and his girlfriend broke up March 14 and he hadn’t cared for the dogs because it was something they did together, and he was depressed about the breakup, according to the complaint.
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