Rural Remsen man pleads guilty to animal neglect

Andrew Vaske, 28, pleaded guilty Monday to animal neglect and six other animal-related charges.

The judge sentenced Vaske to seven days in jail plus $750 in fines at the plea taking Monday in Plymouth County District Court.

The animal neglect charge, a simple misdemeanor, stems from mid-March when the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office seized 28 head of Vaske's cattle from two locations.

The authorities directed the removal of 15 cows from property at 18507 Polk Ave. and 13 calves and a bull from a second property at 14563 190th St.

The property is owned by Aloysius Vaske Jr. and Susan Vaske, parents of Andrew Vaske, who owns the livestock and leases the property from them.

That action came after an investigation into animal neglect reports.

Dead animals were found at both locations.

The other six charges came later in March, when Vaske was charged with two counts of failure to dispose of a dead animal properly and four counts of failure to vaccinate dogs according to Iowa law, all simple misdemeanors.

The sentence of seven days in jail applies to the animal neglect charge, and the $750 in fines applies to the other charges.