Less than six months after being arrested in July and charged with 67 counts of animal neglect, including four that resulted in death, a Muscatine woman is again alleged to have hoarded animals in her residence following an animal neglect investigation.
The Muscatine County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant Friday on a mobile home located in the 3100 block of MW, in which Kelly Marie Adams, 44, was residing. During the execution of the search warrant on Friday, Dec. 13, three dogs, three cats, six rats, one bird, five geckos, three snakes, and two bearded dragons were seized. Four animals were found deceased. A filing reported that the animals were in direct contradiction to the court's pretrial release order.
Adams was arrested for violation of pretrial release and is being held in the Muscatine County Jail in lieu of a $30,400 bond. Further charges and arrests are possible as the investigation is still ongoing.
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Over the past few months, the Sheriff's Office has fielded information that Adams had moved to a new residence and new animals had been acquired or were living at that residence with Adams. It was identified that Adams was residing at a new location, that she had not notified the court of her new address, that she was caring for animals, and that a family member residing with Adams had adopted a young female pit bull mix dog.
The Muscatine County Attorney's Office is asking that pretrial release be revoked. The filing also said Adams poses a danger to the community's animals. Adams has filed an application for review of the conditions of her pretrial release, and asked she be released on her own recognizance or that she be allowed to post 10% of her bond.
On June 17, the sheriff's office had executed a search warrant on Adams' property. At the time 67 animals were recovered, of which four were deceased. A pretrial conference is set for Feb. 11, 2025. As part of an order for conditions of release, as set forth by Muscatine County District Court, Adams was prevented from "acquiring, owning, caring for or residing with any animals of any kind or with persons who otherwise own or possess animals". Adams was also required to immediately notify the court if her address, persons residing or the animals located at the residence change.
On Friday, It Takes A Village animal shelter reported having an animal welfare emergency. According to a post on the group's Facebook page, it had assisted the sheriff's department with the raid, calling it "one of the most shocking cases we have ever seen."
"We need your help!" The post read. "The majority of these animals have special needs that we are not currently set up for. Our amazing staff is already hard at work assessing the animals, determining those needs and setting up temporary solutions. If you are able to donate, it is greatly appreciated! "
ITAV President Meagan Koeller said the best help the community can give the shelter is cash donations. She explained that the need for extra people to come in and take care of special needs of the animals means overtime hours are up. She said many of the species that have been taken in have not been housed at the shelter before.
"We have reptiles and amphibians this time," she said. Koeller also commented that she couldn't get into the specifics of "special need" animals because of the ongoing investigation, but said it involved injury and poor health. She also commented that if there is not additional loss of life, there may be loss of limb.
As of Monday morning, $1,033 had been collected. The group's Facebook page has links to Venmo, PayPall and Givebutter accounts.
Koeller also commented that with the four deceased animals that were located, the death toll of animals that had been in Adams' care has raised to 10 in six months.
"In Iowa we have such massive hurdles when it comes to getting things prosecuted and getting charges to stick and having meaningful consequences," Koeller said. "In Iowa when you have two separate cases that result in the death of an animal, that is enough for a felony. That is enough for serious charges. I just hope our judges and our county attorney feel the same way."
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