BAY CITY, MI — A Bay County couple is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly letting dozens of domesticated deer starve to death.
Pamela A. Reinhardt (also known by the surname Rytlewski) and her husband, both 57, are each facing a charge of abandonment of or cruelty to 25 or more animals. The charge is a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Authorities issued the charges on Dec. 28, with Pamela Reinhardt being arraigned in Bay County District Court on Jan. 7. Her husband has not yet been arraigned, and MLive is not disclosing his name until he has been.
The case began on Sept. 28, when Pamela Reinhardt’s husband stopped by Bay County Animal Services and Adoption Center and told staff he and his wife are going through a divorce and are jointly responsible for the care of about 100 deer on their property on South Garfield Road in Beaver Township. The husband said he and his wife were supposed to split the costs of the animals’ feed, and that he had been paying for it by himself and can no longer afford to do so.
On Oct. 7, the husband returned to Animal Services and said he had noticed about six deer had died in their fenced-in enclosure, according to court records.
“He wanted us to know they are dying and that something will have to be done,” an Animal Services officer wrote in his report, contained in court files. “He fed what food he had left but that was a few days ago. His wife was not caring for them.”
That day, Animal Services officers and Michigan Department of Natural Resources officer visited the Reinhardts’ property. No one appeared to be home during their visit.
The rear of the property featured a pole barn and a large enclosure.
“Dead animals could be viewed plainly from the driveway approaching the barn and fenced area,” the Animal Services officer wrote in his report. “Upon approaching the enclosure approximately 25 dead deer could be seen from the outside of the fence [sic]. The remaining 90-100 deer appeared thin, ribs showing on some, visible hip bones, hair loss, etc.”
Officers obtained a search warrant and returned to the property the next morning, accompanied by a field veterinarian and a specialist in Cervidae, the taxonomic family that comprises deer. Pamela Reinhardt was present at the time, court records show.
Officers found 36 dead deer on the property, some of which were rotted to their bones, reports state. At least three of the carcasses were seized by officers so necropsies could be performed on them.
Interviewed by officers, Pamela Reinhardt said she and her husband had been going through a divorce for about two years. They both still lived at the Beaver Township property, though they were not speaking to one another, she said.
Pamela Reinhardt told the officers they have had deer for more than 10 years, though she has never fed them, adding that was her husband’s responsibility. She said she had not been aware her husband hadn’t been feeding the deer.
The veterinarian instructed Pamela Reinhardt to get hay and grain immediately. Officers also told her to see to it that the dead deer were buried.
Officers returned to the property on Oct. 11, finding no new dead deer, the carcasses buried, and available food. Pamela Reinhardt told them she had bought 20 haybales as well as corn and oats, records show.
Officers again visited the property for a wellness check on Oct. 15. They found five more dead deer, no food in their feeders, and very little hay, and what was there was muddy, reports state. Of the 20 haybales Pamela Reinhardt purchased, 17 were in the barn, along with most of the bagged grain.
“Upon entering the enclosure the deer approached officers readily which had not previously been the reaction to our presence,” an officer wrote in his report. “At this time officers put out 4 bales of hay and 200 lbs (4 bags of oats/corn).”
Officers also spoke with Pamela Reinhardt’s son, who said his mom was supposed to be feeding the deer.
On Oct. 22, officers received necropsy results from the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, which concluded the deer died of emaciation, court records show.
The same day, Pamela Reinhardt told officers she had received authority from the court to liquidate the deer herd and planned on having them shot, court records show.
Animal Services Supervisor Craig Goulet confirmed on Jan. 19 there are no longer deer on the property.
Pamela Reinhardt is free on a personal recognizance bond. She is to appear for a preliminary examination at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 27.
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