Bond could increase in animal cruelty case

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Prosecutors are seeking to increase the bond to $100,000 for a Deer Park woman charged with animal cruelty after 17 dead dogs were found at an animal boarding facility she owned in Deer Park.

Diane Eldrup, 48, owner of the former Muddy Paws boarding and grooming facility on Rand Road, is out of jail after posting $25,000 bond following her arrest Thursday on several counts of aggravated cruelty to animals in connection with the incident.

During a hearing Tuesday, Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Mermel asked Judge Raymond Collins to consider a motion to increase Eldrup’s bond in light of several “disturbing” new facts in the case. Mermel said Eldrup paid more than $8,000 of her bond using $50 and $100 bills, even though she is originally from England and has no known relatives in the area.

Mermel also asked the judge that she be ordered to turn over her passport to reduce the likelihood of her leaving the country.

Judge Collins ordered Eldrup to turn in her passport to the court by Wednesday morning, and scheduled a hearing on Mermel’s request to increase Eldrup’s bond for Dec. 28.

In addition to the animal cruelty charges, Mermel said another reason the state is seeking an increase in bond is that Eldrup’s 8-year-old son may have been living at the residence at the time of the alleged offenses.

“He was subjected to a house of horrors,” said Mermel.

Last week, Lake County Health Department officials discovered 17 dead dogs, two dead pet birds, as well as four live dogs and two live cats at the former animal shelter. Kildeer police initially discovered the dead animals at the facility after receiving a tip from Eldrup’s estranged husband, Kurt.

John Joanen, the attorney representing Kurt Eldrup, said his client has been in the process of a divorce for about the past year and was seeking to get custody of his son. Joanen said Diane Eldrup had been granted custody by the court and Kurt Eldrup was not allowed to personally visit his son at the facility during the custody case.

Last week, he said Kurt Eldrup was granted permission by the court to visit the property to obtain some personal items when he noticed a dead dog lying outside another building on the property. He said his client was “spooked” by what he saw and went to police the next day. Police found dead dogs inside, many left inside cages without food or water.

“It’s animal torture. To me, it’s beyond animal cruelty,” said Joanen.