Hoarding - 18 dogs dead, 6 more starving
Deer Park, IL (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Dec 16, 2010
County: Lake
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Diane Eldrup
Case Updates: 6 update(s) available
Authorities arrested the operator of a Deer Park animal rescue Thursday after discovering 18 dead dogs and six more severely dehydrated and malnourished animals inside her shelter.
Diane Eldrup, 48, was in custody at the Lake County jail Friday on $250,000 bond while facing four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felony punishable by a maximum one to three years in prison.
Kildeer police said Eldrup owned and lived at the Muddy Paws Dog Rescue, 20429 N. Rand Road, where officers made the grisly discovery Thursday. She turned herself into Wauconda police Thursday afternoon and was taken to the jail.
Kildeer Police Chief Lou Rossi said Eldrup's estranged husband first came upon the dead dogs Thursday morning when he went to the facility with a court order allowing him to retrieve some of his belongings.
The village of Deer Park contracts with Kildeer for police coverage.
Lake County animal control officers later removed four dogs and two cats all alive from the property and took them to a local animal hospital to be treated for dehydration, county health department spokeswoman Leslie Piotrowski said.
Rossi described the surviving animals as "emaciated and extremely malnourished," adding that investigators have not yet determined how long the dogs had been left without sufficient food or water.
The shelter, police said, had been closed for business for about a year leading up to Thursday's discovery.
According to its website, Muddy Paws was a no-kill shelter aiming to "end a battle against of the cruelty and reality of the world." The site says the facility fights against puppy mills and helps "find a warm and loving environment for those who do not hold a grudge."
A listed phone number for the shelter was disconnected Friday.
Case UpdatesIt is unlikely that Diane Eldrup will serve any jail time if convicted on charges of animal cruelty and torture for starving to death 17 dogs and three birds at the Muddy Paws facility in Deer Park, according to Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Mermel.
"The aggravated cruelty charge is only a Class 4 felony with at most one to three years (jail). With no prior, you would get probation. It's less of a crime than stealing $150 at Sears (according to the law)," Mermel said.
Eldrup is charged with 16 counts of aggravated animal cruelty and 16 counts of animal torture. Animal torture is a Class 3 felony, with a maximum punishment of two to five years in jail. However, with no prior history, a person convicted of a Class 3 felony would get probation, Mermel said.
Eldrup is free on a $25,000 bond posted by John Breseman, of Algonquin, shortly after her arrest in late December.
Eldrup's next hearing is on Feb. 22. Her new attorney John Curnyn said he hasn't determined whether to plea or take the case to a jury trial.
"I have no idea where it's going. I have to get police reports and discovery from the prosecutors," Curnyn said.
Curnyn said Mermel's statements were "optimistic for a prosecutor."
Mermel doesn' expect the case to drag on.
"I've been doing this for 35 years and I have a good handle on what is a strong overwhelming case . . . She was the only one operating Muddy Paws. To prove who's responsible is really quite simple," Mermel said.
"If I was her attorney I would have her plead guilty. The dogs died horrible deaths stacked in pet carriers, packed on top of each other and left to die," Mermel said.
"Obviously there is a mental issue or some component of craziness," Mermel said. "There's not a lot of money in pet rescue, it's not a money making proposition. At one point her heart was very big."
Mermel described Eldrup as a "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." He said witnesses have made statements that she said the dogs ruined her life.
Ashley Mauceri, deputy manager of animal cruelty investigations for the Humane Society, said "In my experience, people don't often serve jail time for animal-related offenses."
"In a lot of these cases, if not all, it has to be a pretty grievous, violent attack to see somebody get jail time," Mauceri said.
Mauceri said, in most states, animal neglect charges would be misdemeanors.
"The fact that you can be charged with a felony in Illinois is a big deal," Mauceri said.
In December 2010, the
| Source: patch.com - Feb 17, 2011
Update posted on Feb 17, 2011 - 6:54PM |
Diane Eldrup, the woman accused of starving 23 animals to death, has a new attorney.
Sheldon Sorosky, who is representing former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in his upcoming federal corruption trial, appeared on behalf of Eldrup again Tuesday in Lake County Circuit Court, telling Judge James Booras that Eldrup has hired John Cernan to represent her. However, due a family tragedy, Cernan could not be in court Tuesday.
Sorosky previously told Booras that he could not represent Eldrup because of the Blagovich retrial.
Eldrup, 48, was charged with 32 counts of animal torture and aggravated cruelty to animals for the 19 dead dogs and four dead cats that were found in December in the Muddy Paws animal shelter that she ran in Deer Park.
Eldrup is due back in court for status-of-attorney Feb. 22. She is free on bond. | Source: suntimes.com - Feb 8, 2011
Update posted on Feb 8, 2011 - 10:51PM |
Problems at Muddy Paws Dog Rescue in Deer Park date to 2009, when Illinois Department of Agriculture inspectors found what they described as excessive feces and urine-soaked bedding on the property, records show.
Muddy Paws' condition, as described in the agriculture reports from more than a year ago, is similar to what Lake County prosecutors say was found at the no-kill shelter off Rand Road last month.
However, the state withdrew its case against Muddy Paws last May when the facility claimed to be closed, according to the agriculture department.
"It's very disturbing," agriculture department spokesman Jeff Squibb said Monday.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Mermel said a final count shows the bodies of 19 dogs, three birds and an opossum were recovered last Thursday at Muddy Paws. The dogs and birds died from neglect and starvation, he said.
Shelter operator Diane Eldrup, 48, is charged with 32 counts of animal cruelty. She was freed from the Lake County jail on 10 percent of a $250,000 bond, but her whereabouts have not been made public.
At least 5 tons to 10 tons of dog excrement was found in plastic bags in a garage fronting Rand Road during last week's investigation. Mermel said Monday investigators did not find additional dog carcasses in a sampling of 10 bags and will not search through the rest of the feces.
Illinois' agriculture department licenses and inspects pet kennels and shelters. Squibb said a routine annual inspection was performed at Muddy Paws on Aug. 10, 2009, which led to the issuance of two citations about two weeks later.
Squibb said the first violation for "conditions that did not meet standards of the animal welfare act" resulted from what inspectors wrote was "excessive feces throughout the facility" and urine-soaked bedding.
Another citation was written to Muddy Paws for inadequate record keeping. Specifically, the agriculture department stated the former boarding operation did not have names, addresses or telephone numbers for owners of dogs on the property.
Inspectors issued a citation to Muddy Paws on Sept. 17, 2009, for operating without a license. Squibb said Muddy Paws' state license, which costs $25 annually, expired June 30, 2009.
An agriculture department inspector visited Muddy Paws on Dec. 9, 2009, but no one answered the door, Squibb said. Reports show a state inspector was refused entry the following day.
Squibb said the second of two warning letters was sent to Muddy Paws in January 2010, stating a collection agency would be contacted if the facility did not formally appeal the citations or pay $1,700 in fines.
On May 3, a state agriculture department inspector visited Muddy Paws and was told the facility had closed, records show. Squibb said the state withdrew its complaint about Muddy Paws' lack of a license and ended the case May 21.
In Deer Park, Village Administrator Jim Connors said Muddy Paws did not have a valid business registration "for at least the last two years." He said every business in the village, regardless of its type, is supposed to have an annual registration.
Connors said he was informed Muddy Paws was no longer operating and the property was being used for residential purposes only. He said the village never received evidence or reports to the contrary.
Listings in the current edition of a Chicago-area pet magazine include Muddy Paws as one of 94 viable animal shelters and rescue groups. Muddy Paws was promoted as a drop-off site for a pet food drive to benefit local pantries in November 2009.
Kildeer police, who patrol Deer Park, arrested Eldrup on Dec. 17 after her estranged husband reported he found dead dogs on the property where she lived with the couple's 8-year-old son. It's not known when the neglect started, authorities said.
Authorities said Kurt Eldrup had been barred from the Deer Park property by an order of protection. He received court permission to retrieve some belongings from Muddy Paws' living quarters last month.
Meanwhile, Lake County Health Department spokeswoman Leslie Piotrowski said four dogs found alive at Muddy Paws are eating well and have doubled their weight since they were brought to the agency's animal control facility near Mundelein.
Piotrowski said one dog looked like "walking bones" when it was recovered. She said two cats seized from Muddy Paws were in good health.
Three of the animals have microchips linked to animal rescue groups, Piotrowski said. She said formal proceedings must occur in Lake County court before the dogs and cats are released from animal control's possession.
Piotrowski said while the animal control division doesn't oversee kennels or shelters, a warden visited Muddy Paws after a complaint was received in November. She said the animal warden didn't notice anything unusual from the outside and would have needed a judge to issue a search warrant for entry. | Source: dailyherald.com - Jan 3, 2011
Update posted on Jan 3, 2011 - 9:53PM |
Lake County law enforcement authorities will comb through a sampling of 5 tons to 10 tons of dog excrement in plastic garbage bags in an effort to determine the number of dead animals at Muddy Paws Dog Rescue in Deer Park.
Police spent about five hours Thursday at the shuttered facility off Rand Road and recovered the bodies of 20 dogs, three birds and an opossum, Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Mermel said. Authorities initially estimated 17 canines died from neglect at Muddy Paws.
Mermel called Muddy Paws "a feces-filled, carcass-covered death camp for dogs." He said some of the deceased dogs starved to death after they were sent to Muddy Paws by other rescue operations.
At least 5 tons to 10 tons of dog excrement was found in a garage fronting Rand Road after Muddy Paws operator Diane Eldrup was arrested by Kildeer police Dec. 17, authorities said. Mermel said it's believed dead animals were hidden in the feces, but investigators will start by examining only 10 trash bags and halt the search if nothing is found in the sampling.
"The magnitude of this is beyond comprehension," Mermel said as investigators worked around him in the stench wearing white protective suits and rubber gloves similar to what's used at a hazardous materials call.
Eldrup, 48, is charged with 32 counts of animal cruelty. Kildeer police, who patrol neighboring Deer Park, arrested Eldrup after her estranged husband reported he found dead dogs on the property where she lived with the couple's 8-year-old boy.
Prosecutors said $8,000 in cash and a $17,000 cashier's check was posted by John Breseman of Algonquin to free Eldrup from the Lake County jail on the required 10 percent of a $250,000 bond. Mermel said records show Breseman, who couldn't be reached for comment, declared personal bankruptcy Dec. 14 in U.S. District Court in Rockford.
With yellow crime-scene tape around the front of Muddy Paws, Kildeer police received assistance Thursday from the Lake County sheriff's office and other agencies. Six of the recovered dog carcasses were sent to Lake County veterinarians who are donating their services to perform animal autopsies, known as necropsies.
Mermel said it's hoped the necropsies show a cause of death and provide an idea of how long ago the dogs perished.
Photographs shot by investigators depict a grisly scene inside the living quarters of Muddy Paws, where authorities said many of the dead dogs were discovered. Dogs were found on the floor and hidden in mattresses.
Some of the deceased dogs in the images were curled next to empty food bowls that had visible bite marks. Other photographs showed the dogs in various states of decomposition.
Mermel said investigators believe some of the dogs became so hungry they started eating dead canines.
"Incomprehensive cruelty in which these poor, helpless animals were killed," he said.
Dead maggots were found in a refrigerator that contained food inside the living area, not far from a child's bed, authorities said.
Waukegan police Sgt. Charlie Burleson, who handles animal abuse cases, was among those called to assist in Thursday's investigation.
"This is one of the worst torture cases I've probably seen," Burleson said during a break.
Visitors had started a memorial at the site. It included a cross, a plastic disc, stuffed dog, a battery-operated candle, dog treats, a squeak toy and a tennis ball.
Mermel gently placed some of the memorial items in the back of a sport-utility vehicle when police started wrapping up the day. | Source: dailyherald.com - Dec 30, 2010
Update posted on Dec 30, 2010 - 10:51PM |
More than two-dozen new counts of animal cruelty and torture have been added to the charges against a Lake County woman who ran a pet rescue operation in Deer Park where at least 17 dead dogs were discovered.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Mermel said Wednesday that he filed 32 counts of aggravated animal cruelty and animal torture this week against Diane Eldrup.
Eldrup, 48, was initially charged with four counts of animal cruelty and torture following her arrest on Dec. 16, after the animals were discovered at Muddy Paws Dog Rescue in Deer Park.
Mermel also filed a motion Tuesday to have the four live dogs and two live cats that were found at the facility forfeited, so they will be able to be placed up for adoption.
Authorities said they removed at least 17 dead dogs and two dead birds from the property earlier this month, discovered after Eldrup's estranged husband, Kurt Eldrup, went to the facility to retrieve some belongings.
The prosecutor also revealed new details Wednesday about how some of the animals perished. Many of the dogs were left to starve to death in locked cages, unable to reach the unopened food that was found in the shelter, Mermel said.
That included two puppies, the youngest to die, that had been placed in two small carriers that were stacked on top of each other behind a closed closet door.
"They were put in the closet, never to see the light of day again," Mermel said. "It was like being buried alive."
Some of the dogs that were not in cages were eaten by other dogs that were loose inside the facility and starved for food, he said.
Other animals "were in such a state of decay that all that was left was a puddle of fur, and you couldn't tell what kind of animal it was," Mermel said.
Eldrup's attorney, Elliot Pinsel, also was granted permission this week to withdraw from the case, citing a "breakdown in communication" with his client as the reason.
Eldrup remains free on bond and is due back in court next month. | Source: chicagobreakingnews.com - Dec 29, 2010
Update posted on Dec 30, 2010 - 9:28AM |
Prosecutors asked a Lake County judge today to increase the bond of a Deer Park woman who was arrested last week after officials found at least 17 dead dogs at her pet rescue operation.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Mermel said he was concerned because Diane Eldrup posted $7,000 of her $25,000 bond in $100 bills and the rest in a cashier's check.
He also voiced concern because she is from England with no known relatives in this country.
Judge Raymond Collins ordered Eldrup, 48, to turn over her passport by Wednesday but said he would rule on Eldrup's bond at a later hearing.
Eldrup, who ran the Muddy Paws Dog Rescue, was arrested Thursday and charged with aggravated animal cruelty. Animal control authorities said they rescued four live dogs and two cats but found at least 17 dead dogs and two dead birds at the shelter.
Mermel also told the judge that he was worried about Eldrup's son.
"There are custody issues with the 8-year-old boy who was living in this hellhole," he said.
Eldrup's estranged husband, Kurt, has been granted temporary custody of his son, according to his attorney, John Joanem.
When Kurt Eldrup went to the home with police last week, the heat wasn't on and no food had been put out for the dogs, Joanem said. There were cans of dog food that could have been given to them, he said.
Most of the dead dogs were found in the home, locked in cages, Joanem said. | Source: chicagobreakingnews.com - Dec 21, 2010
Update posted on Dec 21, 2010 - 5:55PM |
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