Wheeling Pet Resort Owner Charged After Family's Dog Dies In Van

WHEELING, IL — The owner of a Wheeling pet resort has been charged with cruel treatment of animals after a Deerfield family's dog died after being left inside a company van for hours, police said.

Ross Niehaus, owner of Waggles Pet Resort, appeared at the Wheeling Police Department on Thursday and was charged with cruel treatment of animals under Illinois law, according to a police release issued Friday.

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Police said they received a complaint at around 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, reporting that a dog had died after being left in a van while in the care of Waggles Pet Resort, 419 Harvester Court.

As previously reported by CBS Chicago, the dog was Miller, a 6-year-old, 110-pound black Labrador belonging to the Serota family of Deerfield. The family said Miller was picked up from their home at around 9 a.m. Wednesday and that they were told shortly after 4 p.m. that he had died.

RELATED: Family Says Their Dog Died After A Wheeling Pet Resort Left Him In A Hot Van For Hours

Steve Serota previously told CBS Chicago that Miller regularly went to Waggles three times a week and was picked up from the family's Deerfield home by a company van. Serota said the family had used the business for about five years.

According to Serota, the family was told Miller had been left in the van throughout the day. When Serota went to Waggles, he said Miller was still inside his crate in the van. Temperatures that day reached into the mid-90s, according to the earlier report.

The family subsequently filed a police report and called for an investigation into Miller's death.

Niehaus, of Chicago, went to the Wheeling Police Department on Thursday, where he was charged. Police did not provide additional details Friday about what investigators believe happened inside the van or Niehaus' role in the incident beyond identifying him as the owner of Waggles.

Patch reached out to Waggles Pet Resort for comment on the charge and had not received a response as of publication.

Niehaus was released and is scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 25, at the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows, according to police.

The charge is an accusation, and Niehaus is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.