‘Months of neglect’: Animal rescue wants dog back after 6 dogs die under rescue owner’s care

BUCKSPORT, Maine (WABI/Gray News) - The owner and operator of an animal rescue in Maine faces several charges for mistreating dogs at her rescue facility.

Rags to Riches Animal Rescue dog coordinator Sierra Hancock told WABI that Coastal Dreams Rescue and Sanctuary owner Ellisha Krutuleski had a good reputation in the animal rescue community in Florida and Maine until recently.

Hancock said Rags to Riches sent Krutuleski a 1-year-old pit bull named Howler in April after Krutuleski said she could take care of him.

Rags to Riches donated $5,000 to Coastal Dreams to help with expenses, but they wanted updates on Howler in return.

Hancock said Krutuleski gave them updates initially, but they saw red flags beginning in June.

On July 30, authorities were called to Coastal Dreams and found six sets of dog remains in trash bags and crates and 27 dogs that were living in poor conditions, according to authorities.

Rags to Riches said they were devastated to learn that they sent Howler to a place that was not safe.

“He has gone through so much, and now to have to fight for his life because of her is infuriating. It hurts more that way than the anger of what she did, but obviously, the anger of what she did amplifies it even more. She needs to do the right thing, otherwise, it is not going to end well at all, legally,” Hancock said.

She believes that the abuse and neglect began as soon as Howler arrived in April.

According to court documents, Krutuleski was away from the rescue the day the authorities were called. She was allegedly at the hospital with an undisclosed illness.

“When this got out there and we made our first post about Howler, she went on her business Coastal Dreams Rescue page and commented on our Rags to Riches post on Facebook and said, ‘Oh I don’t know what happened while I was in the hospital. I was gone for a week, and this is what happened. You don’t know what you’re talking about,’” Hancock said. “Basically, she was trying to plead her case but saying that it was her volunteers who neglected her animals and that it was only for a week. I’m sorry, Howler’s condition, six-plus dead dogs, multiple others unidentified, multiple others actively dying from being sick and emaciated, that does not happen in a week. I’m sorry that doesn’t happen in two weeks or even a month honestly. That’s months of neglect.”

Hancock said Rags to Riches plans to take legal action against Krutuleski.

She said officials in Maine will not tell her where Howler is.

A spokesperson with the state’s animal welfare program said all the dogs have been placed in shelters and rescues and are doing well. The dogs have cleared the legal holding period or will soon clear it and may be available for adoption soon.

Krutuleski has not returned WABI’s request for comment and it does not appear that she has been taken into custody.

According to a court complaint, Krutuleski faces six felony charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and one misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals.

Social media pages for Coastal Dreams Rescue and Sanctuary have been deleted.

Copyright 2024 WABI via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.