Man Convicted Of Animal Cruelty In Fire That Killed 29 Dogs

WEST CHICAGO, IL — A Woodridge man was found guilty of animal cruelty Friday in connection with a fire that killed 29 dogs at a kennel he owned in unincorporated West Chicago in 2019. Garrett Mercado, 32, was convicted of three counts of animal cruelty and six counts of violation of owner's duties after an investigation also found dogs "suffering puncture wounds, lacerations, abrasions, weight loss, muscle wasting and dehydration" in the kennel, a news release from DuPage County State's Attorney's Office said.

Authorities say Mercado had left the dogs unattended for roughly five hours at D and D Kennel, 2N441 North County Farm Rd., when a deputy with DuPage County Sheriff's Office noticed the building was on fire around 5:30 a.m. In total, 29 dogs died in the fire, the cause of which was undetermined.

After the blaze, investigators reported finding dogs kept in undersized crates that were stacked on top of other occupied crates. One dog was found tied to a bar inside a bathtub "in a fashion that would restrict or prevent movement," the news release said.

The kennel's runs were also unsanitary, authorities said.

“Judge Miller’s ruling verifies what we have said all along, that Garrett Mercado completely disregarded the health and safety of numerous dogs in his care,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin added, “The fire that raged through the kennel that morning during Mr. Mercado’s five-hour absence and resulted in the death of twenty-nine dogs left in his care is a heartbreaking tragedy for not only the owners of those dogs that perished, but also for the entire community."

Mercado is expected to return to court Oct. 22 for sentencing.

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