ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio (AP) — A trial for a woman in Belmont County, accused of animal cruelty, has been postponed again.
Paula Metzler of Fairview was set to enter a plea for 11 felony animal cruelty charges but did not do so.
Months ago, a search warrant uncovered dead and dying animals and terrible conditions at her home near the Guernsey County line.
Metzler and her daughter Kristi are facing identical charges, and the judge has decided that they’ll be tried together.
“The state had pending a motion to join both of these cases together for trial because all of the evidence would be exactly the same for both trials also. The judge did grant that motion today. The cases are now joined. It’s one of our larger cases in respect to the animals that were deceased and in poor condition.” said Belmont County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Vavra.
“We found multiple dead animals in cages, we found them in kennels, we found them on the floor. We have 7 chihuahuas, a mixed breed, a German shepherd, a Bernese Mountain Dog, and 2 Poodles that actually survived,” said Julie Larish, Humane Agent, Belmont County Hoof and Paw.
Belmont County Hoof and Paw agents described the case as horrific.
They say the living conditions were unfit for humans or animals. The living conditions were described as having no running water and no toilet—just multiple buckets of human feces.
Paula Metzler remains in jail. Her daughter Kristi is out on bond.
They will have one final opportunity to enter a plea on mid-February. Otherwise, both mother and daughter will go to trial on February 29th.