Two former Fox Lake residents face animal cruelty charges after Lake County deputies found five dead dogs and two dead cats during a January eviction.
Cathryn N. Franke, 33, and Thomas J. Gilhooly, 38, now both living in the 8900 block of David Place, Des Plaines, were arrested Tuesday, about a month after the charges were originally approved.
A Lake County deputy had gone to Franke and Gilhooly’s residence, then on Hilltop Avenue in Fox Lake, on Jan. 6 to enforce a court-ordered eviction, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
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Franke attempted to slam the door on the deputy, but he was able to enter the home where he was “overcome by an extraordinarily foul odor,” according to the release. Both Franke and Gilhooly were told they needed to leave the home, which they did.
The home was “covered in animal urine and feces” and the deputy found five dead dogs, all in different stages of decomposition inside the home, as well as two dead cats in advanced stages of decomposition, according to the release.
Fox Lake police were asked to come to the home since it was in their jurisdiction, and the Fox Lake police and village worked together to investigate, according to the release. The Fox Lake Police Department ultimately obtained an arrest warrant on March 16 for both Franke and Gilhooly for seven counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, all Class 4 felonies.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office began looking for the two, ultimately finding them in Des Plaines where they were arrested without incident and taken to the Lake County jail, where they remained Wednesday in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Both are due back in court on Friday.