Indiana State Police announces charges against owner and an employee of FMK9, the company transporting 18 K9s at the time 9 died from heat-related illness, last July in Lake Station. An arrest warrant was issued today for both men charged, each facing 18 counts of animal neglect charges

Michael “Mike” McHenry, owner and lead trainer at F.M.K9 LLC in Berrien Center, Michigan and his employee Jessee Urbaszewski who was driving the van that day.

The men picked up a truckload of either 18 German shepherds at O’Hare International Airport, then headed back to Berrien Center, about 135 miles away, via interstate highways I-294 and I-94.

At 7:42 p.m. on July 27, 2023, the Humane Society of Hobart was called to Road Ranger gas station in Lake Station, Indiana. Eighteen adult German Shepherds traveling on transport from Illinois to Michigan suffered heat stroke and were dying at the scene.

Without a prior animal neglect/cruelty conviction, Indiana statute doesn’t allow for prosecutors to charge the crime as a Felony 6.