A local animal rescue and wildlife rehabilitation director will be able to continue her efforts to serve the rescue community after entering into a plea agreement with the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.

Detroit Animal Welfare Group director Kelley Labonty agreed to plead no contest to one count of violating the Michigan Wildlife Conservation Order for improper possession of deer, a 90-day misdemeanor with fines and court costs.

Macomb County Assistant Prosecutors Lisa Lozen and Melissa Simmons revealed the agreement on May 15, the day before Labonty’s case was scheduled to go to trial in 42-1 Romeo District Court.

Labonty waived her right to go to trial and signed the plea agreement on the advice of her attorney Celeste Dunn. Three other counts of WCO violation were dismissed.

Lucido said his office hoped from the beginning to be able to find a way to resolve the case without going to trial.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources originally charged Labonty with four misdemeanor counts of violating the WCO alleging that in September of 2024, four whitetail deer were impeding traffic on the road in front of the DAWG facility in Romeo. When DNR officers investigated the complaint, they found deer in the field across from the DAWG facility and alleged the deer were unusually friendly and not demonstrating natural deer behavior found in the wild.

The DNR accused Labonty of habituating the deer, keeping them too long in rehabilitation and making them feel too comfortable around humans.

Labonty is licensed through the United States Department of Agriculture, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, and the MDNR. She has never had any violations or issues from the USDA or MDOA.

The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office agreed to take the plea under advisement, which allows for a delayed sentence by the judge, and then ultimately a dismissal of the charge upon successful completion of a probationary term.

LaBonty was immediately sentenced after her plea by Judge Jennifer Andary to a probation term that required paying fines and costs. Upon payment of fines and costs by LaBonty, the case was dismissed by the court.

“It is important for DAWG and its supporters to understand that the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office has no involvement in, nor any jurisdiction over, the permitting of wildlife rehabilitation which is the exclusive responsibility of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources,” said Lucido. “Labonty’s plea agreement does not change this key fact.”

Lucido said WCOs are in place to protect wildlife and if the DNR presents credible evidence of a violation, it is the job of his office to prosecute.

He pointed out Macomb County averages more than 600 deer/vehicle crashes annually which he said illustrates the need for deer to remain wary of people.

“Upholding the rule of law to protect nature and people is the sole reason that the MPCO filed charges against Kelley LaBonty as requested by the DNR,” Lucido said. “Neither myself, nor any other staff attorney of the MPCO, had nefarious or retaliatory motives to pursue the DNR’s recommended charges against Ms. LaBonty as some of her supporters have alleged.

“As I explained in my earlier public statements that responded to false claims made by DAWG, I can assure the public that I, like all MCPO staff attorneys, love wildlife and pets as much as anyone.”

Labonty has owned and operated DAWG for 15 years and is a champion for abandoned and abused animals. In January, she rescued a Jack Russell terrier from Detroit who was allegedly dropped into boiling water. DAWG provided medical care and a foster home for the dog, Gideon, who was recently adopted by his foster parents.

In a social media post Thursday, Labonty said the DNR has filed to revoke DAWG’s wildlife rehabilitation permit. This is the second time the DNR has filed to revoke the permit; Labonty won the previous case.

Earlier this month, White Lake Township police officer Frank Wright rescued a fawn from the scene of a crash and DAWG was called to rehab the fawn whose mother was killed in the crash.