Couple charged after more than 60 dogs, cats rescued from Flint Township home
A couple from Flint Township, Michigan is facing multiple criminal charges after authorities discovered dozens of animals inside a home, including several that were already dead.
According to the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office, 65-year-old Kim Mitchell Shires and his wife, 61-year-old Brenda Marie Shires, were each charged with one count of abandoning or committing cruelty to 25 or more animals, one count of killing or torturing animals, and one count of failing to properly dispose of dead animals in their possession.
Prosecutors say the case began on Feb. 11, 2026, when Genesee County Animal Control responded to a complaint about several dogs — including some reported dead — at a home on Elms Road. Officers from Flint Township Police Department and animal control arrived and rescued 69 animals from the property, including 65 dogs and four cats. Authorities also discovered 27 dead animals — 26 dogs and one cat.
Officials said one of the rescued dogs had to be euthanized after suffering severe abdominal buildup that caused respiratory distress and infection. The remaining rescued animals received treatment, and authorities later organized a public adoption event to help place them in new homes.
Investigators also said the couple previously lived in Tennessee and had been involved in a similar situation there.
The couple was not home when authorities arrived at the residence on Feb. 11, and their current whereabouts remain unknown.
“I have charged other animal owners in similar situations that were very troubling, but this one is by far the worst case I have ever seen, and it is very disturbing to say the least,” said David Leyton, the Genesee County Prosecutor, in a statement.
Anyone with information about the couple’s location is asked to contact the Flint Township Police Department at 810-600-3250.
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