Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division

For Immediate Release
	       June 28, 2007

CHARGES TO BE FILED FOR DEAD HOGS FOUND IN RACCOON RIVER

MEDIA CONTACTS: Earl Hardisty, Sac County Attorney, at (712) 662-4791.


SAC CITY -- The DNR is continuing its investigation of a group of dead
hogs found in the Raccoon River last week.

Early last week DNR Spencer field office staff found 31 partially
decomposed hog carcasses, weighing about 10 to 20 pounds each, in the
Raccoon River. The DNR discovered these carcasses after receiving a call
from local canoeists.

DNR field staff, in collaboration with the Sac County Sheriff's
Office, has traced the origin of these hogs to an Indiana farrowing
operation. During the transportation of these hogs to an Iowa based
confinement feeding operation, a loss of 143 hogs was discovered.

'We've spent the last week interviewing people and have followed up
on several leads and pieces of evidence," said Tom Roos, an
environmental specialist in the DNR's Spencer field office.

As a result of this investigation, Sac County Attorney Earl Hardisty
intends to file charges early next week against an individual believed
to be responsible for the dumping of at least 31 of the dead hogs into
the Raccoon River. Additional individuals remain under investigation in
this case.

The responsible party could face imprisonment or criminal penalties, or
both, for the  improper disposal of dead animals and causing water
pollution.

Environmental Specialist Jennifer Christian of the Spencer DNR field
office said, "We're also advising Iowans that they can resume normal
recreational activity on the river."

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