SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Police found over 20 wild animals alive and dead inside an Illinois home where a child was living.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said the Illinois Conservation Police were investigating this situation for a year before they obtained a search warrant Tuesday for a DeKalb County home in the 1000 block of Spruce Street.
Illinois DNR said, “A 33-year-old woman who lives in the house allegedly was a licensed Illinois wildlife rehabilitator, but police determined her license was fraudulently obtained.”
Police found caged snakes in the basement and domestic rabbits in the backyard all without water. Three dead snakes were found in cages. They also found 12 raccoons, seven opossums, two squirrels, two turtles, one chipmunk, and one skunk inside the home. The animals were all taken from the home and given to a properly licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
“Boxes of wildlife parts were also found inside the residence. Police said the woman does not possess an Illinois hunting or fishing license and that she was selling wildlife parts online,” Illinois DNR said.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was notified because the conditions were considered unhealthy for a child to live in.
No one has been arrested. The investigation is ongoing.
