Former dog breeder accused of animal abuse denied bond again; trial set for October

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former Boone County dog breeder was denied bond in court once again on Friday.

Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, is charged with 13 counts of felony animal abuse and one count of misdemeanor animal abuse. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. She previously faced 29 felony counts of animal abuse.

The trial is now set for the week of Oct. 19, with a status hearing on June 8.

Sanders' attorney argued she wasn't a flight risk, noting her roots in Boone County. However, the assistant county prosecutor argued that Sanders has connections across the U.S. and potentially in Europe.

Sanders ran Magnum Opus German Shepherds and a number of dead dogs, including a dozen dog skulls, were found at the property of the business when law enforcement served a search warrant in 2025, according to court documents in previous reporting. Several malnourished dogs were also found at the property.

Court documents say at least two living dogs that were found were on the brink of death.

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