2 Huntley residents charged with more than 90 counts of animal cruelty after 54 dogs found in park

Two Huntley residents are accused of animal cruelty to dozens of animals, and one is suspected of abandoning more than 50 dogs at a dog park in July, officials announced Monday after a months-long investigation.

Concepcion Rodriguez, 61, and Bruce Walla, 54, both of the 10000 block of Wheatlands Way, were each charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and violating owner’s duties on Friday, according to police; Rodriguez is charged with 73 counts of animal cruelty and Walla is charged with 19 counts. Both are charged with 19 counts of violating an animal owner’s duties, according to authorities. All the charges are misdemeanors.

The McHenry County complaint lists a dog, turtle and 17 cats found in the home that were suffering from declined health because of “poor living conditions.” The dog suffered from “skin infections and severe discharge to both eyes” and many of the cats reported to had “nasal discharge and urine-stained fur,” according to the complaint.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Boone County Animal Services responded a call on July 15 to the Hammertime Unleashed Dog Park in Belvidere for a report of “several dogs that had been abandoned,” according to a Huntley Police Department news release. Animal Services captured 54 dogs identified as Maltese mixes, and all were turned over to multiple rescue organizations for treatment and fostering services, according to the release.

An investigation identified Rodriguez and Walla as suspects, and Huntley police and the McHenry County Animal Control joined the investigation, according to the release. Officers and animal control officials conducted a search warrant July 25 on the pair’s home, which revealed probable cause for animal cruelty and McHenry County Public Health Ordinance violations, police said. The home also was deemed uninhabitable after “probable cause for violations of the McHenry County Public Health Ordinance was established,” according to the release.

The animals authorities said they found in Rodriguez and Walla’s home were turned over to the McHenry County Animal Control and are “receiving the medical care they need,” according to the release. The pair were booked and released from the Huntley Police Department Friday.

Rodriguez also was charged with another 54 counts of animal cruelty by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Huntley authorities. She was detained at Boone County Jail pending a Boone County detention hearing on Monday, officials said.

The news release encouraged anyone having additional information on this case to contact the Boone County Sheriff’s Office at 815-544-2144 or the Huntley Police Department at 847-515-5311.

Rodriguez is due in McHenry County court on Oct. 20 and Walla is set for a hearing on Sept. 20.