Plea deal appears likely in Marathon County animal cruelty case

Heather Zynda scheduled for plea and sentencing hearing in April

Mar. 23, 2026 at 11:33am

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A plea agreement appears to be in the works in the Marathon County animal cruelty case that drew widespread outrage across central Wisconsin after authorities uncovered allegations of severe mistreatment involving dogs tied to two local operations. Heather Zynda, who is charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, has been scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing on April 14.

Why it matters

The case has remained closely watched by animal welfare advocates and community members as the criminal proceedings continue. The alleged mistreatment of animals at the two local operations, Central Wisconsin K-9 and Crossroads K-9 Rescue, sparked significant public concern and outcry.

The details

Zynda, of Kronenwetter, is charged with two felony counts of mistreating animals causing death and five misdemeanor counts of intentionally mistreating animals, all as party to a crime. The charges against Zynda stem from a broader investigation involving dogs connected to the two local operations. Prosecutors allege she was directly involved in, or intentionally assisted with, the mistreatment underlying the charges.

  • Zynda has been scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing on April 14, 2026.
  • Zynda was previously bound over for trial after a court commissioner found probable cause to move the case forward following a preliminary hearing.

The players

Heather Zynda

A Kronenwetter resident who is charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty as part of the broader investigation.

Sean Dumais

The owner of Central Wisconsin K-9, a Schofield business, who is facing a much larger slate of charges in the same investigation.

Kalib Suchomski

The sole employee of Central Wisconsin K-9, who is also facing charges in the investigation and remains in custody.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on April 14 whether to approve the proposed plea agreement.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of strict enforcement and prosecution of animal cruelty laws, as well as the need for close monitoring and regulation of local animal operations to prevent such mistreatment from occurring in the first place.