Community Corner

Animal Advocates Believe Eldrup Deserves Jail For Muddy Paws Tragedy

Pet rescuer says outcome of Muddy Paws case could mean a better future for animals.

Many animal advocates attending last week's plea hearing for Diane Eldrup believe Eldrup should serve jail time to pay for allegedly starving to death 34 dogs who were under her care at the Muddy Paws boarding and rescue facility in Deer Park.

Vernon Hills resident Evie Geren was one of about 20 animal advocates who attended the plea hearing and waited in court nearly two hours while defendants in other cases appeared before the judge.

“The other people are going to jail for shoplifting or taking something out of a shed and nobody got hurt. I don’t see why she shouldn’t go to jail when deaths occurred,” Geren said.

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Eldrup and her attorney, John Curnyn, decided to consider pleading guilty to the lesser Class 4 felony charges of 19 counts of aggravated animal cruelty, with a maximum penalty of three years. In exchange, the Class 3 animal torture charges would be dropped.

“There is no way she would get the full three years for the Class 4 anyway. By giving up the Class 3, we are not really giving up anything,” said Assistant State's Attorney Michael Mermel, who is prosecuting the case.

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A self-proclaimed animal lover, Mermel said he usually handles murder cases, but he assigned himself to this case because he didn’t trust anyone else to handle it.

“I’m an animal lover as everyone here is. But we have to be realistic,” Mermel said.

Although Illinois is considered the by the Animal Legal Defense Fund, most animal abusers do not serve time.

Mermel said if Eldrup accepts the guilty plea, sentencing would follow in about 30 days. The sentencing will be decided by Judge James Booras, who is presiding over the case in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Waukegan.

Sandy Wisniewski, founder of Animal Education and Rescue (AEAR) in Libertyville, said she helped gather animal advocates attending today’s hearing because it’s important for the judge and attorneys to see that people care about the outcome of this case.

“They need to see that people really care. They care enough to take a day off work to come to court and show this was not acceptable,” Wisniewski said.

Wisniewski is currently fostering Sasha, a German shepherd mix, who is the last survivor from Muddy Paws that has not yet been adopted.

“Every day I see Muddy Paws. I see it firsthand; I see a survivor when I give her water, take her for walks, and see her run and play. I look at her and I think of the suffering she went through,” Wisniewski said.

Libertyville resident Bill Wittenberg, a rescuer for AEAR, said he would like to see Eldrup serve jail time.

“This happened over a period of time. It was a long duration; it was not like she suddenly snapped. I can’t see how anybody could have lived in that environment,” Wittenberg said.

Wittenberg added that he was especially concerned for Tyler, Eldrup’s young son, and what he may have seen and endured.

Patty Bianco, an animal rescuer from Wauconda, had worked with Eldrup when Eldrup first started to take in rescue animals.

“I feel bad if there is a mental problem, but I tried to help her two and one-half years ago,” Bianco said. She said she talked to Eldrup because she was concerned that Eldrup was acting strangely and becoming a hoarder. In the fall, just prior to Eldrup’s December arrest, Bianco had tried to contact Eldrup to get her animals placed at another rescue.

“We tried to help. We could have gotten the animals out of there. They didn’t have to die,” Bianco said.

Wisniewski said she is encouraged by the turnout of animal advocates at the hearing. She said if the hearing had been held on the originally scheduled date, June 7, there would have been twice as many people there.

“If people in authority really understood the connection between animal abuse and domestic violence, they would take animal abuse more seriously,” Wisniewski said.

“I know we are going in the right direction. This case can be a stepping stone for a better future for animals,” she said.


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