Community Corner

Charges Add Up for Muddy Paws' Eldrup

Eldrup charged with animal torture and aggravated cruelty for deaths of Chihuahua and beagle.

Diane Eldrup has been charged with four more counts, two each of animal torture and aggravated cruelty, for the deaths of Leo, a beagle, and Lucha, a Chihuahua, when a grand jury convened on March 23, said Kim Clark, of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.

That brings the total charges to 38 for Eldrup, the owner of Muddy Paws, a boarding facility in Deer Park. Eldrup is accused of starving to death 19 dogs-- most of them she took in as rescues--as well as three birds that were her personal pets.

Lucha was Eldrup’s personal pet as well and was found outside the back door at Muddy Paws recently. Janice Robinson, former foster parent of Lucha, said she was grateful for the additional charges.

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Leo came to Muddy Paws when his family could no longer keep him. According to Clark, the family believed Eldrup would find a good home for the beagle. Leo was found stuffed in a garbage bag inside the residence in mid-March.

Janice Robinson, the former foster parent of Lucha, was on a quest to find out what happened to the dog she loved, but she said this news raises more questions.

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“There isn’t any relief. I don’t know why or how she died. In a way it makes it a lot worse. If you care about a dog, you don’t just leave it by the back door like garbage,” Robinson said.

Robinson said Eldrup’s son, Tyler, was very close to Lucha. She thought Tyler’s attachment to Lucha would have prevented Eldrup from harming the dog. “The thought of Tyler maybe seeing her dead body tortures me  . . . . that poor  kid,” Robinson said.

The dogs were found after Kurt Eldrup, estranged husband of Diane Eldrup, went to the residence to retrieve some belongings. When he moved a desk, he found a Beagle, named Leo, wrapped in a garbage bag, according to Clark.

Clark was helping Robinson in her search for Lucha while she has been gathering information for the criminal case.

As Kurt Eldrup exited the house, he saw a small skeleton by the back door that had probably been under snow previously. An officer from Lake County Animal Control found the microchip that confirmed the remains were that of Lucha.

“So many elements don’t add up. If she died of natural causes, why put the body out there? Why not bury it or throw it in the garbage. Nothing makes sense,” Clark said.

Lucha’s body would have been easily seen from the windows in the residence and would have been seen whenever Eldrup or her son used the back door, Clark said.

Leo, the Beagle, was given to Muddy Paws by a family in February, 2010, who thought Eldrup would find an adoptive home for the pet.

“They thought she would get a good home. They had a son, age 7, who loved the dog. The dog was age 2,” Clark said. “She didn’t get any money from the family. Why take an animal in when there are dying one’s there?”

Clark suspects that more animals than those found may have died of neglect at Muddy Paws. She wonders if the rescue operation at Muddy Paws saved any dogs.

“How many dogs did she save? People aren’t coming forward saying they adopted a dog from her,” Clark said.

Robinson has found some peace after learning that Lucha’s death will be added to the charges. Robinson said the word Lucha means "to fight" in Spanish.

“She did fight . . . she survived the puppy mill, and she had a wonderful life after that, at least until Diane lost her mind. Lucha and Tyler were so cute together. I’m so glad that they had each other in their lives,” Robinson said.


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