Foxhome woman sentenced in animal abuse case

FOXHOME, Minn. (Valley News Live) - A Foxhome, Minnesota, woman has been sentenced to serve 20 days in jail and 100 hours of community service after being convicted on several animal abuse charges.

Michelle Karch was found guilty in Wilkin County court with three felony counts of animal mistreatment, torture or neglect.

Court documents say, Wilkin County deputies were called on June 18, 2022 for a report of two dead dogs. The person on the phone told dispatchers they dropped off their dog with Karch four months ago and said when they came back, they found the dogs in Karch’s garage.

Court documents say deputies found one malnourished dog alive in Karch’s garage as well as the two deceased dogs. The living dog was taken to a Wahpeton veterinarian who court documents say told deputies the dog had no muscles on its hip bones.

A local veterinarian told officers the dog was severely emaciated solely due to lack of food. Court documents say one of the deputies told Karch this ‘was the most abhorrent conditions’ he had seen dogs being kept in his entire career.

Karch previously had eight charges against her, but five of those charges were dismissed.

She was given credit for 7 days previously served in jail. Karch is not allowed to own, shelter or care for any animals, and must allow random visits from animal control or the Wilkin County Sheriff’s Office. She is on supervised probation for two years.