My Suburban Life, 8/21/08

By David Heitz, dheitz@mysuburbanlife.com
Bloomingdale Press
Thu Aug 21, 2008, 10:52 AM CDT
Link: http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/roselle/news/x81485012/Pet-Rescue-director-faces-court-date

Bloomingdale, IL -

Police and a state agency are investigating allegations of animal neglect at a Bloomingdale facility.

Penny Horak, director of Pet Rescue, 151 N. Bloomingdale Road, turned herself in to police last week after she was charged with animal neglect.

Bloomingdale Deputy Chief Frank Giammarese said Horak will be issued a date in DuPage County Circuit Court. The date was not immediately known, he said.

Horak, a Hebron resident, was charged with misdemeanor animal neglect after authorities alleged she failed to provide adequate care for a sick cat at the facility. The animal later was euthanized by a Hoffman Estates veterinarian.

Pet Rescue also was fined $200 by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which licenses the facility, after two other cats that suffered illnesses were adopted out.

Giammarese said the department will continue to work with the IDOA as part of a state investigation into the facility, but police are not conducting a criminal investigation.

"Unless we get other complaints, we no longer have an open case," he said.

Jeff Squibb, a spokesman for the IDOA, said the agency will continue to monitor the facility, as it does with all licensed animal shelters, which are typical inspected every three months.

"With this facility, we have turned this case over to the DuPage County state's attorney's office," Squibb said, "but we will continue to monitor operations at Pet Rescue."

Squibb said he was not sure if Pet Rescue would challenge the fine by requesting a hearing.

Squibb said a new provision of the Animal Welfare Act that went into effect June 1 gives the IDOA more power to go after animal shelters that violate the parameters of their licenses. Fines can be as much as $1,000, with a possible license suspension for a third IDOA offense, Squibb said.

Police said last week that Pet Rescue has more than 100 cats and many other animals at the facility, which operates as a no-kill shelter under its license with the IDOA.