StemCell Therapy

CROWN POINT Lake County police officers have opened their homes to puppies the department seized last month from a Center Township man awaiting trial on criminal charges.

Dan Murchek, assistant county police chief and department spokesman, said recently the sheriff is allowing officers to take home French bulldog puppies among other dogs to relieve overcrowding in the Lake County Sheriff's Animal Adoption & Control Center.

"Officers are helping taking them home, playing with them, socializing them. They are not getting paid for this," he said.

County police said they discovered 68 maltreated dogs last monthin a poorly ventilated garage in the 5900 block of West 125th Avenue.

The prosecutor's office has charged Steve Rajcinoski, 26, of Crown Point, with 11 felony counts of animal mutilation and more than 80 misdemeanor allegations of cruelty to an animal, practicing veterinary medicine without a license and failure to register as a commercial breeder in connection with the raid.

Rajcinoski is free on bond, and his lawyers have requested the court return the seized animals.

Police are keeping custody of the dogs until the Lake Superior Court issues a ruling.

The case has been on hold since Judge Julie Cantrell recused herself from it in the wake of public anger over the case. The judge said people tried to pressure her through telephone calls and social media to punish the defendant.

Before leaving the case, the judge slapped a gag order on all parties in the case at the request of Rajcinoski's attorney.

Murchek said the animal shelter's resources have been stretched in the meantime.

"When I last checked, there were 92 dogs. And that doesn't include all the cats. That is just overwhelming for us," Murchek said.

"It is expensive when you get this many dogs especially those with health care needs. These particular dogs had some medical issues, so our officers are helping, taking them to the veterinarian."

Murchek said the department is keeping the foster care arrangement within the department, and it is not offered to the general public.

"Our people are vetted. We know who they are. We have had officers in the past who have helped out when we have been overcrowded to take dogs home temporarily," he said.

Murchek insisted this foster home arrangement also is only temporary. "This guy could get all the dogs back," he said.

If the court forfeits dogs to the county, they would go up for normal adoption to the public. "Nobody has dibs on the dogs," he said.

He said the public may still make donations to the shelter to assist during this period.

"If they want to bring in items other than cash, they can call the animal shelter to find out what they are short of. We are a no-kill center. We have had dogs that have been in the shelter for months, who people don't adopt," he said.

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Lake cops cuddle seized puppies - nwitimes.com

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