Millsboro Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty After 26 Animals Rescued, 7 Found Dead
By: WNEWS247 Editorial Staff
Published: July 25, 2026
MILLSBORO, Del. — Delaware woman is facing multiple criminal charges after animal welfare officers discovered dozens of animals living in squalid conditions at her home, including several that had been dead for an extended period.
Jessica Donovan, 36, has been charged with seven felony counts and 26 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, along with two dog housing violations, according to Delaware Animal Services (DAS).
Jessica Donovan, 36, was charged with seven felony counts and 26 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty after 26 animals were seized from her Millsboro home. (Photo courtesy of the Delaware Division of Public Health, July 2026).
The case began on July 15, when DAS officers went to a residence on Gravel Hill Road in Millsboro to perform a welfare check. What they saw prompted them to seek a search warrant for a fuller inspection of the property. Inside, they found animals living in what officials described as filthy, cluttered surroundings, with feces and trash accumulated throughout the home.
Officers removed 19 cats and seven dogs from the property and transported them to the Brandywine Valley SPCA for care. They also found seven dead cats inside cages and traps, in advanced states of decomposition, suggesting they had died well before the search.
DAS said Donovan ran a rescue operation called Paws and Whiskers Rescue, which is believed to be how she acquired many of the animals. Investigators also believe she obtained additional animals through trap-neuter-return efforts.
DAS Chief Mark Tobin called it a troubling case involving someone who had been trusted to care for animals, noting that many suffered or died under her watch.
Donovan was arraigned July 21 at Delaware State Police Troop 4 in Georgetown and released on her own recognizance. As a condition of her release, she is barred from owning or possessing animals and from participating in TNR or similar programs while the case is pending.
