Judge Chooses Not to Return Bail Money in Eldrup Case

Lake County Judge James Booras decided, on Monday, not to return the $25,000 bail posted for Diane Eldrup in the Muddy Paws animal abuse case, according to TribLocal.

Barrington Hills veterinarian Debra Rykoff told Patch that the bail came from her personal funds and that she believed an appeal would be filed. The bond was posted by Rykoff’s partner John Breseman. Rykoff and Breseman run the Fur Keeps Animal Rescue in Barrington Hills. Rykoff said the rescue would not be affected by the bond forfeiture, since the bail money came from her personal funds.

Rykoff said she posted the bond out of concern for Eldrup’s son and because she knew Eldrup when she was a caring person always willing to volunteer at Fur Keeps.

At a restitution hearing on Monday, Eldrup was ordered to pay $1,831.91 to the Lake County Health Department to cover expenses for rehabiliation and care of the four surviving dogs found at Muddy Paws last December. Eldrup was also ordered to pay $2,160 to the village of Deer Park for boarding the dogs, according to the Lake County News-Sun.

Booras said what remained of the bail money after court costs, attorney fees and restitution would be dealt with in family court, according ot the News-Sun. Eldrup’s ex-husband Kurt Eldrup asked that some of the money help cover child expenses for their son.

 Sept. 8.

She was sentenced to two and one-half years of prison in October. The sentence was reduced to 18 months, in November, because the court ruled the sentence did not comply with state statute, according to Triblocal.