MACOMB, Illinois -- A pet store owner who abandoned her animals, leaving dozens to die in inside a store with no electricity pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals.
Jessica Spangler ran Macomb Pet Land. An investigation was conducted on Saturday, May 26 after police got complaints of a foul smell. When they entered the store, they discovered numerous dead and poorly cared for animals. Power had been shut off since May 14 because no one was paying the bills.
In the investigation, police found that 41 animals died as a result of neglect - primarily rodents, birds and reptiles. Another 56 animals - including two cats - survived and have been fostered.
In May of 2019, Spangler pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. Sentencing was set for August.