PAWWATCH CASE WATCH
ChargedWinter Haven Woman Arrested After Dead and Dying Animals Found on Property
CASE WATCH — NOT A REGISTRY CONVICTION RECORD
The Polk County Sheriff's Office says Melissa McKinney was arrested after investigators found a dead donkey, deceased cats and additional cats in extremely poor condition on a Winter Haven property.
Case statusCharged
Location reportedWinter Haven, Polk, FL
Person named in reportMelissa McKinney
First reported2026-10-02
Last updated10/6/2026
Case details
PCSO reported that surviving and deceased animals were removed and that necropsies were planned. McKinney was charged with three felony counts of animal cruelty along with other non-animal offenses.
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Case timeline
No additional updates have been posted.
Case Watch tracks publicly reported animal-cruelty and animal-fighting cases for informational purposes. Appearance here does not mean a person has been convicted. Case status may change as proceedings continue. See linked sources for complete information.