Milwaukee man with over 50 dead dogs in house sentenced to prison

A Milwaukee man who was found with dozens of dead dogs in a home last summer, was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday, July 31, 2025.

The sentence comes after 45-year-old Michael Ellis was found guilty of five felony counts of animal mistreatment in June.

According to the criminal complaint, Ellis’s house was being foreclosed on, and during a standard walk through, the dogs were found.

Ellis stated he started hoarding dogs after his divorce and said he lost control to care for them and was to embarrassed to ask for assistance.