MSU Vet School Professor To Be Tried For Animal Neglect
ST. JOHNS (WWJ/AP) - An assistant professor at Michigan State University's veterinary school will face trial on a charge of animal neglect after authorities say they found 17 dogs and two cats in poor condition at her home.
Fifty-five-year-old Patricia Schenck was charged with a felony last month in Clinton County District Court.
She appeared in court Thursday in St. Johns and waived her right to a preliminary examination of the evidence. That clears the way for her trial, which wasn't immediately scheduled.
Officials say the animals were found Dec. 12 at the home north of Lansing in Olive Township, where Schenck lives with her elderly parents. Police said they went to the house after getting a 911 call from someone who hung up.
Schenck was arraigned Dec. 20 and was released after posting bond. She has been ordered not to have any animals in her possession, records show. Most of the animals were taken to local shelters for care, and her attorney said one dog was euthanized.
The university says it suspended Schenck with pay pending the case's outcome.
Schenck, who in 2010 published a book titled "Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets, Second Edition," is listed as an assistant professor who specializes in endocrinology. She has been affiliated with MSU since 2001.
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