Former Port of Moses Lake executive director David Senne and his wife Mary Ellen Senne have been charged with aggravated animal cruelty after 89 animals were seized from their property in Jones County, Miss. recently.

Seventeen animals were also found dead on their property, according to local law enforcement. The cause of death is still being investigated.

“We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Alysson Knotts, public information officer for the Jones County Sheriff’s Department, on Wednesday. “There were just so many, it came as a shock to our community.”

The Jones County Sheriff’s Department served a search and seizure warrant on the Sennes’ 161-acre property on July 11. The animals appeared to suffer from a lack of veterinary care and were housed in conditions typically seen in severe neglect situations, according to a statement by the Humane Society of the United States.

The charge is only a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of six months in jail, the strongest possible charge under state law. Mississippi is one of only two states where egregious animal cruelty, such as torture or starvation, cannot be charged with felony penalties on the first offense.

The Sennes are each being charged with one count of the crime, despite the number of animals considered abused. An HSUS official familiar with animal cruelty legislation said this policy of not filing separate counts of animal cruelty per animal is unusual among neighboring states.

Fifty-five dogs and 34 cats were removed from the home, HSUS officials said. All but five animals have been legally surrendered by the Sennes and custody of the remaining five will be decided in court.

David Senne was executive director of the Port of Moses Lake from 2002 to 2004.