Animal mistreatment case, 27 dogs seized; Kenosha couple faces 170+ counts

Animal mistreatment case, Kenosha couple charged

27 dogs were seized from a Kenosha home. The owners are accused of running an illegal puppy mill, and police say the dogs were living in deplorable conditions. And this is not the first time officers were called to that home.

KENOSHA, Wis. - 27 dogs were seized from a Kenosha home.

The owners are accused of running an illegal puppy mill, and police say the dogs were living in deplorable conditions.

And this is not the first time officers were called to that home.

A similar case happened there in 2024.

The owner was out on bond for that case and was told he couldn't have any animals.

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Margarita Arrieta-Alcalade and Luis Melendez

Dogs found in deplorable conditions

What we know:

Police say they discovered pitbulls and Frenchies living in filth at that home last week.

"I can’t fathom having that many dogs in my house."

Police say a Kenosha couple tried to keep what they were doing at their home hidden.

Pictures from the basement

But investigators say it was hard for Luis Melendez and Margarita Arrieta-Alcalade to conceal more than two-dozen dogs living inside.

"To keep up on the cleanliness of the home, obviously, they weren’t able to do that," said Lt. Joshua Hecker with the Kenosha Police Department.

A criminal complaint explains police got a tip. When officers arrived, they say, "they were met with the smells of animal excrement before the door had been opened."

Snippet from the criminal complaint

Photos from the basement show dogs locked in small crates. Police say there was no food or water and the pitbulls and Frenchies were living in their own waste.

"Malnourishment, exposure to urine and feces, and lack of exposure to proper health care that they should’ve received," added Lt. Hecker.

Investigators say Melendez wasn't supposed to have any dogs in the first place.

In December 2024, he was investigated and charged for mistreatment of animals.

Pictures from the basement

He was out on bond and prohibited from having any animals at his house.

"This was unexpected and so it definitely put a strain on our resources," said Angela Speed with the Wisconsin Humane Society.

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The two dozen dogs are now with the Wisconsin Humane Society—getting the attention investigators say they need.

"We’re just focused on providing daily care and enrichment and veterinary enrichment of these animals," added Speed.

The couple has been charged with more than 170 counts related to animal mistreatment.

They are both in the Kenosha County Jail with bail set at $25,000 and $50,000.