A Woodridge man was found guilty Friday of three counts of Animal Cruelty and six counts of Violation of Owner’s Duties in connection with the death of 29 dogs who were killed in a fire at the man’s West Chicago kennel.
Garrett Mercado, 32, of Woodridge, was found guilty by Judge Robert Miller after a five day bench trial where Mercado faced more than two dozen charges as the result of a 2019 fire at an unincorporated West Chicago kennel he operated that claimed the lives of twenty-nine dogs. On July 10, 2019, Mercado, who operated the former D and D Kennel located at 2N441 North County Farm Road, was arrested on a $50,000 with 10% to apply arrest warrant. The following day he posted the necessary 10%, or $5,000, and was released from custody.
On January 14, 2019, at approximately 5:20 a.m., a DuPage County Sheriff Deputy observed the kennel on fire. An investigation into the fire conducted by the DuPage County Fire Investigative Task Force found the cause of the fire to be undetermined. The investigation also found that twenty-nine dogs died in the blaze as a result of Mercado’s leaving the kennel for approximately five hours at which time a fire broke out on the premises.
The investigation further revealed that numerous dogs were mistreated suffering puncture wounds, lacerations, abrasions, weight loss, muscle wasting and dehydration. Additionally, the investigation revealed that the kennel runs were not sanitary; dogs were kept in cages stacked upon one another; dogs were placed in cages or crates too small for them; dogs were inappropriately tethered and that one dog was tethered to a bar in a bathtub in a fashion that would restrict or prevent movement.
“Judge Miller’s ruling verifies what we have said all along, that Garrett Mercado completely disregarded the health and safety of numerous dogs in his care,” Berlin said. “The fire that raged through the kennel that morning during Mr. Mercado’s five-hour absence and resulted in the death of twenty-nine dogs left in his care is a heartbreaking tragedy for not only the owners of those dogs that perished, but also for the entire community. This has been a very difficult, emotional case for all those involved and I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Alysa Feld, Kelsey Kerr and Alyssa Rabulinski, as well as State’s Attorney Investigators Dave Zdan and Cheryl York for their truly outstanding work on this case which led to Judge Miller’s Guilty findings.”
Garrett’s next court appearance is scheduled for October 22, 2021, for sentencing.
