Bolingbrook Dog Trainer Kept Animals In Cages With Urine, Feces: Prosecutors

BOLINGBROOK, IL — A Bolingbrook man who prosecutors say ran a dog training business from his home has been booked into Will County Jail Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest on March 19 for charges of aggravated cruelty to animals.

Aaron Rice, 36, is facing charges of aggravated cruelty to animals (a class 4 felony), misdemeanor cruelty to animals and 15 counts of violating owner's duties.

According to a petition to deny pretrial release filed in Will County court, Bolingbrook Police were contacted on Jan. 31 for a report of animal cruelty at Rice's home. A woman had contracted with Rice to train her dog, Freya, at Rice's in-home training facility.

The woman told police that eight days earlier, Rice came to her house and picked up her Belgian Malinois, Freya, for a four-week training program, according to the petition. The owner said she reached out multiple times over the next few days for updates and pictures of her dog, but never received any photos.

On Jan. 31, the woman said Rice told her to meet him and Freya at the animal hospital, and that Freya "seemed stressed and not able to stand." Rice told the owner that Freya wouldn't eat, was lethargic, and would go outside and not return inside, and was urinating in her crate, according to the petition.

The court filing notes that while at the animal hospital, the owner noticed abrasions and fresh wounds on Freya that were not there before she was taken to the training program.

The owner said that, per the veterinarian, Freya could not have gotten so skinny in that short a time with her ribs showing unless she had been starved for more than several days, according to the petition. The dog also would not have so many injuries unless she was left in a cage for a long period of time, court documents state.

Officers executed a search warrant at Rice's home in the 100 block of Willow Bend, and police told Patch that 19 dogs were found at the home, and taken to Bolingbrook's animal care facility. Real estate listings show the house as a nearly 2,400-square-foot single family home.

The petition states that the house smelled heavily of urine or ammonia, and a brown substance was smeared on the walls and floor. The dogs inside the home did not have access to food, water or bedding, and some cages contained urine and feces, court documents allege.

Some dogs have been returned to their owners, according to the complaint. An affidavit for forfeiture of the remaining 13 dogs, all Belgian Malinois, was filed Wednesday. About half of those dogs are puppies, according to the court filing.

On Thursday, Will County Judge Derek Ewanic granted prosecutors' petition to deny pretrial release.

Rice, 36, was taken into custody. He is being represented by attorney JohnPaul Ivec.

Will County Court records indicate the Village of Bolingbrook filed a complaint against Rice for violating the number of animals allowed under village ordinance in January 2024. That case was dropped in February 2024.

The ordinance states that "no person shall own or harbor in any residential unit more than three dogs or three cats or any combination thereof above three; provided, however, that such limitations shall not apply for a period of 120 days from the date of birth of offspring of dogs or cats in such dwelling unit."