Willow Resident Indicted in Animal Cruelty Case

A Palmer grand jury has indicted a Willow woman on 24 counts of animal cruelty after authorities found 23 dead dogs on a Caswell Lakes property last month.

The indictment against 35-year-old Misty Rehder is the subsequent phase in a case that began on April 15th.  Alaska State Troopers said they were called to assist Mat-Su Borough Animal Control with an animal welfare investigation at the property. Troopers said they found a grim situation with 25 dead dogs and one lone surviving dog.  Later that number was revised to 23 dead dogs, and one additional living dog that was being cared for at another location.

Rehder was arrested on April 21 and charged with animal cruelty.  At the arraignment, a judge said each count alleged in the complaint was a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The case was met with public outrage over why the Animal Control Division had not responded earlier to complaints about the situation. The Mat-Su Borough has hired Richard Payne of Denali Law Group to investigate the actions of the Animal Control Division. That investigation currently underway.