A man and a woman are facing criminal charges in northern Minnesota after investigators found an estimated 250 cats and dogs living in filthy conditions — and returned weeks later to a pile of ash and bones while most of the animals were missing.

Beltrami County court records show Debra Marshall, 65, and Douglas Erickson, 49, each face 10 felony counts of animal mistreatment in connection with the investigation into animals kept at their home in Hines.

According to a criminal complaint, authorities were first alerted to possible animal neglect on Oct. 21, when someone reported seeing dogs kept in small cages with piles of feces inside and smelling “a strong odor” from the premises of Marshall and Erickson’s property on the 16700 block of Aksarben Lane.

A deputy responded to the home and talked with Marshall and Erickson, who said they ran an animal rescue. The deputy got a “limited look around the property” and saw 25 dogs who were of a healthy weight and demeanor, but several others were in cages with “days worth of feces built up.” The deputy told Marshall and Erickson law enforcement would be back in the next week to see if the kennels were being cleaned.

On Oct. 29, two deputies went to the property for a follow-up welfare check and found no improvement. Several dogs were standing in their own waste and “numerous” cats were being kept in a “dilapidated and uninhabited trailer” and other sheds in unsanitary conditions. Several of the cats showed signs of illness, too.

“In many of the sheds and buildings, the odor of ammonia and feces was so overpowering that Deputies had to periodically step outside due to lightheadedness and watery eyes,” a complaint states.

In all, deputies estimated there were 200 cats and 50 dogs on the property. Marshall said most of them were strays or feral and were either dropped off or caught in live traps. According to the complaint, the deputies gave Marshall and Erickson two more weeks to resolve the “serious sanitation issues.”

On Nov. 12, when deputies returned to the property, they noticed several dogs that were there during the last visit were absent, and several sheds that had housed cats were now empty. The dogs that remained appeared skinnier than before, and water dishes were dry, the complaint states.

Erickson explained that one dog had been euthanized; several dead cats were found underneath a table in various states of decomposition. Other cats had “deteriorated noticeably” and were so weak they could hardly stand up, investigators said.

On Dec. 6, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office and personnel with the Animal Humane Society returned to the property with a search warrant to seize all of the cats, dogs, and animal remains. However, most of the animals were no longer there. Instead, officials found a wood-burning stove and an ash pile about five feet in diameter and two to three feet deep containing what appeared to be animal bones and bone fragments.

Dozens of cats and dogs were recovered, leaving at least 170 animals unaccounted for. Deputies found out only four of the dogs had been surrendered to an animal rescue.

The Animal Humane Society (AHS) is helping care for the rescued animals, which tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS it’s caring for 35 dogs, and 29 cats at its Golden Valley location. 

The AHS also said it plans to share more information Tuesday morning. 

Minnetonka-based animal rescue, The Bond Between — which has no connection to this case — says a key element to this investigation was the original report that tipped law enforcement to check the property. 

“It’s really important that together, we all work to make sure that animals are not being neglected or abused,” Rachel Mairose, founder of The Bond Between, said. 

“A lot of times, these are rural properties where there’s not a lot of people passing by, so you might be the only chance of hope for that animal,” Mairose added. 

She’s also encouraged by legislation she said is expected to be introduced this legislative session — Mairose said it would create an “office of animal protection” which would centralize resources to help protect animals and prosecute abusers. 

For now, Mairose is stressing the importance of reporting red flags — think “see something, say something” — and for people who may be overwhelmed by the animals in their care to seek assistance before it gets out of hand. 

“I think it’s really important for people to know that they can reach out and ask for help,” Mairose said. 

Marshall and Erickson each made their first court appearances on Monday. They were booked and released from custody without bail. Their next court date is set for Dec. 30.