EAST PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The head of the Fon Du Lac Park Police said the six dogs recovered from a disabled boat last week are doing fine and should recover.

Police Chief Chance Barlow said the dogs are “fighters” and with the care given by Peoria County Animal Protection Shelter, they should recover.

“They said that the dogs are doing well. Obviously, they still need a lot of attention and they need to get their health back, get their strength.  It’s going to be a long road for them, but the dogs are tough. They’re fighters and they’re getting better as we speak,” he said.

He said he hopes that people will use the events to look out for animals in the area.

“If you see something, call 911. They can’t communicate,” he said Tuesday, less than 24 hours after his office turned over information to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s office for possible charges against the owner of the boat.

On July 5, officers with his department which is the primary law enforcement agency on the Illinois River were called to check on the animals which were in kennels in the 32-foot cabin cruiser. The four people who lived on the boat were gone.

The dogs, Barlow said last week, were “emaciated” and in poor health.

Since then, his office has talked to all four people who lived there. They were passing through the area when one of the boat’s motors broke down. The other motor was already broken. The cruiser had been docked near the RiverPlex for at least two weeks before it was found. One of the dogs on the boat was found dead.

Barlow said the four people had found some of the dogs in the area and had previously owned others

“They were trying to make a difference with the dogs, they just were not capable financially, as well as just taking care of them on the boat is impossible,” he said.

According to a Peoria Police report, the boat is a white Luhrs Sportfish belonging to Robert Recaldini from Pennsylvania. Recaldini and three others were apparently living on the boat, and at least one of them was working in Chillicothe.

Barlow confirmed that Recaldini was the boat’s owner. The group is still in the area, but Barlow did not indicate where they were staying.

“They came in, they know it’s not a good situation that they’re in. They are homeless at this time. Their boat was their only thing they had to live on. They’re passing through the area, the boat is disabled, waiting for some parts,” he said.

Police found the malnourished dogs in locked kennels with a note stating “the dogs were very well taken care of.” There was also a bag of dog food on the boat, but since the dogs were locked up, they could not access the food, according to the police report.

Whether any criminal charges would come out of this, Barlow said that was up to prosecutors. For now, he said, the focus should be on the dogs and making sure they get the best care possible. 

A call to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s office was not immediately returned.

Barlow also said it was important to note the interagency cooperation that is often found in Central Illinois. Agencies like the Tazewell County dispatchers, East Peoria Police Department and the park district administrative staff worked long hours to process the reports.

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