ONALASKA, Wis. — Police were suspicious about a Buick parked in a backyard with steamed-up windows. Inside the officers found 19 ducks, nine alive but struggling to breathe and 10 dead. Police called animal control officers, then began looking for James R Michael, age 45. He lived at the address in the 700 block of St. Paul Street. This was about 10 p.m. last Monday. Police returned the next morning and found that Michael had left a note telling them to come in, but having seen the officers arrive, he had left through an upstairs window, officers said. Police later arrested Michael. Police said the original call to address was from a girlfriend who said Michael was behaving oddly and had taken her purse.
Michael. Charged with animal cruelty, disorderly conduct.