COLUMBUS, Ind. — In a case that sparked protests among animal rights advocates, dogs that were bred and their puppies sold for profit by a rural Hope couple are no longer on their property.
That’s according to Bartholomew County Compliance Officer Bill Klakamp, who on Tuesday inspected the home and farmland owned by Aaron and Lena Oberholtzer at 9173 E. County Road 950N.
Two semi-trailers that county officials say violated ordinances by serving as outbuildings have also been moved, Klakamp said. While one trailer was placed on the couple’s 55-acres of farmland that is separate from their residence, the compliance officer said he found no evidence canines were still being kept on the property.
Nevertheless, the couple remain defendants in separate lawsuits filed April 15 in Bartholomew Superior Court 2.
Two days after the conditional use variance was denied, BZA attorney James Shoaf notified the couple they had until March 10 to cease all dog-breeding business and remove the semi-trailers.
But when that date arrived, the couple was still not in compliance, Klakamp reported. On March 21, Shoaf drove by the property and saw the semi-trailers were still there, online court records state. Three days later, the Oberholtzer’s right to appeal the BZA decision expired.
On April 15, Superior Court 2 Magistrate David Nowak sent the couple a written order that warned they were facing an $8,000 fine, as well as $173 in court costs. Nowak also ordered the Oberholtzers to appear in his Small Claims Court for trial on June 11th.
After the written order was issued, the trailers and animals were moved a short time later, right after Bartholomew Animal Control Officer Mark Case went to check on the welfare of the dogs, according to county officials.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Republic.
