Foster Homes Found For Dogs In Home Where 2 People Died

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL — Two of the five dogs found inside a home where two people were found dead last week have recovered quickly and are already in foster care, South Suburban Humane Society Executive Director Emily Klehm said. But it's "going to be a long road" for the three others, according to Klehm.

The two that have bounced back and already matched with foster parents are both puppies. The three adults continue to recover at the shelter in Chicago Heights, but fosters have been found for them too once they are medically cleared to leave the humane society.

All five dogs were found dehydrated and has been without care for some time when Homewood police responded to a home in the 1200 block of Elder Road on Monday, Feb. 24. At the home, police found Irene Koetz, 86, and her son, Thomas Koetz, 56, both "unresponsive" and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed they both died of organic cardiovascular disease. The manner of death for both was natural, the Medical Examiner's Office said.

Klehm said the Chihuahua (pictured above) had bloodwork taken that shows significant kidney failure that may have come from dehydration.

A Lhasa apso mix and another Chihuahua "won't eat on their own, so they're receiving fluids and medical care," Klehm said.

"We don't know how long they were in their home without care."