Bond set for duo who allegedly starved two dogs to death

Bond was set Tuesday for two Hoffman Estates residents accused of starving two dogs to death.

Sarah Gorski, 19, and Andre Norris, 27, who resided at the same house in the 1700 block of Queensbury Circle, appeared in DuPage County Bond Court where Judge Brian Telander set bond at $100,000 for Norris and $50,000 for Gorski, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

Each has been charged with four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, one count of forgery and two counts of misdemeanor unlawful disposal of an animal.

Naperville police and Naperville Animal Control personnel on March 2 responded to a trail area regarding the disposed of dead German shepherd.

The dog, later identified as Meliodas, or Otis, was found wrapped in a bed sheet in a storage container in a wooded area near a drainage ditch. He weighed approximately 20 pounds, while this type of dog should weigh approximately 70 pounds, the release stated.

An investigation led police to Gorski and Norris as the alleged owners of the dog. The investigation also found that the defendants had allegedly owned at least two other dogs, Scooby and Bubba. Police learned that none of the dogs had many visits to the veterinarian, according to the release.

On March 12, a search warrant was executed at the defendants’ home. Police allegedly found Scooby, a German shepherd/hound mix, in a rusted dog crate filled with animal feces, blood and urine. He allegedly weighed approximately 20 pounds, was severely starved, could not walk, had massive sores and had feces stuck in his fur, the release stated. Bubba, a Corgi, was not located at the time.

Police later learned that Bubba allegedly died in the first week of March. They subsequently found Bubba in a field wrapped in a sheet where Gorski and Norris allegedly dumped him. Both Otis and Bubba were sent to the University of Illinois Veterinary School for a necropsy where it was determined that Otis died from canine parvovirus, starvation and rat poisoning, according to the release. Bubba, who weighed only four pounds when he was found, died of severe starvation.

Additionally, Norris and Gorski allegedly forged pay stubs from Norris’ former employer, Petland. Gorski and Norris turned themselves in to authorities on Monday.

“To say the charges against Sarah Gorski and Andre Norris are disturbing would be a gross understatement,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “Otis and Bubba both died a horrible, painful death, allegedly because these two defendants starved them to death. What’s even more disturbing is the allegation that the defendants fed Otis rat poison. Thankfully, the manner in which Gorski and Norris allegedly treated their pets was discovered, and Scooby appears to be on the mend. If these charges are proven in court, the defendants will pay a serious price.”

“The comprehensive and thorough investigation by our animal control officers and our detectives into the cruelty of the dogs was taken extremely seriously by our police department,” Naperville Chief of Police Robert Marshall said in the release. “I am very pleased we are holding those allegedly responsible in this case accountable for their actions. I am appalled by the alleged abuse perpetrated on these defenseless animals and wish to commend our investigators and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office for their collaborative efforts.’’

Both Gorski’s and Norris’ next court appearance is scheduled for June 1 for arraignment in front of Judge Jeffrey MacKay.