A 65-year-old man accused of animal neglect at a Blue Grass kennel has pleaded guilty, Muscatine County Court documents show.

Lyndall Winter has pleaded guilty to an aggravated-misdemeanor charge of animal neglect with serious injury or death after, earlier this year, law enforcement alleges a French Bulldog died at Bison Ridge Kennel, 3672 U. S. 61, Blue Grass, according to court documents.

Court records show Winter withdrew a previous plea of not guilty and entered a guilty plea.

In a document dated Nov. 7, Winter wrote “I own a dog kennel, which houses dogs during people’s vacations, and one of the dogs passed away as a result of negligence.”

“Based on the statements of Defendant, statements of the Prosecutor and Attorney for Defendant, as well as the Minutes of Testimony accepted as true by Defendant and considered by the Court, the plea has a factual basis and is knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently made. Defendant’s plea of guilty is accepted,” another court document shows.

A sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 12 in Muscatine County Court.

Court documents say the state agrees to recommend a 90-day jail sentence, suspended pending informal good-behavior probation for one year, a minimum fine, court costs, surcharges and restitution in the amount of $3,447.95 to the dog’s owner.

A French Bulldog dies in June

On June 14, a French Bulldog named Daphne, who was 5 years old, was in the care of Winter at the kennel, court documents say.

Arrest affidavits say that “During this time, Daphne was left outside in the heat for approximately thirty minutes to an hour.” The temperature on June 14, 2023, was in the high 80s.

“Employees at Bison Ridge Kennel advised that Daphne was having symptoms of a heat stroke, as she was foaming at the mouth, breathing hard” and other symptoms, affidavits allege. “Lyndall was aware of Daphne’s symptoms and conditions and had prior knowledge of French bulldogs being more susceptible to heat strokes. Daphne was brought back inside the kennel area to cool down. The air conditioning was not working properly on 06/14/23.”

Winter is accused of failure to provide veterinarian care to Daphne, which resulted in her death.

Muscatine County Court granted a special prosecutor in the case because a victim who had the dog is an employee of the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, court records say. Lee County Attorney Ross Braden, or his assistants, were appointed to act as special prosecuting attorneys in the case.

According to its website, Winter Bison and Bison Ridge Kennels are at the facility.