On Tuesday — a week after police first were called to the home — prosecutors charged Yvonne E. Petersen-Zich, 48, and Randolph D. Zich, 53, with 17 misdemeanors. They both were charged with one count of child abuse for having a teen in the home in those conditions, as well as 16 of mistreatment of animals — one for each of the 16 pets recovered from the house.

“We are so grateful to the Racine County district attorney and Caledonia police for taking an animal crime this seriously. We’re very grateful that they’re taking the suffering of animals so seriously,” Wisconsin Humane Society spokeswoman Angela Speed said Wednesday after the hearings. “Societies are often judged by how humane they are to their most vulnerable creatures.”

During their initial appearances in court Wednesday, Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch set their bonds at $2,500 cash apiece.

Racine County District Attorney Rich Chiapete asked for $5,000 cash bond for both, while Assistant State Public Defender Margaret Johnson requested signature bonds or lesser cash bonds.

Not guilty pleas were entered for the couple, who appeared separately via closed-circuit TV from the Racine County Jail.