LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — 46-year-old John Stoltzfus of New Holland appeared at a Lancaster County Magisterial Court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday. Stoltzfus and his attorney decided to waive the preliminary hearing, bounding all charges over to the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas.
Stoltzfus was charged with four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and four misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals in connection to the deaths of four Sheepadoodle puppies last year, according to a criminal complaint affidavit filed by detectives with the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” said Robert Barnes, Stoltzfus’s defense attorney. He added, “[Investigators] wanted to see if everything was done humanely and legally and we’re going to be able to prove that it was done both humanely and legally.”
According to the criminal complaint, Stoltzfus then showed investigators where he said he'd put the puppies -- inside a floor-type drain inside a barn that served as a runoff for the cows housed inside. The drain led to a compost pile, where Stoltzfus allegedly told investigators he'd put the puppies' remains.
No remains were found in the compost pile, but Stoltzfus allegedly told investigators he'd put the remains there a week before.
Authorities began investigating on Oct. 31, 2023, when they received a report that Stoltzfus told a person running his business' website that he wanted the ad listing the four black Sheepadoodle puppies for sale removed. When asked why he wanted the ad taken down, Stoltzfus allegedly said he "put them to sleep" because the animals weren't selling.
“A lot of people assume things that aren’t true, not all the facts are known to be careful before you rush to judge somebody,” said Barnes.
Animal shelters and rescue advocates have been calling for Stoltzfus to be reprimanded for the death of the four puppies. Outside the courthouse, advocates stood with signs that condemned puppy mills and stated “Dogs deserved better.
Grace Froelich, Founder of Animal Rescue Inc. in New Freedom, said that the incident should not be considered euthanasia but instead an inhuman act.
“Euthanasia is not the word to use at all because euthanasia means a kind of death,” said Froelich. “Drowning in muck, holding a puppy that’s probably maybe about 25 pounds in the muck of a cow till it takes its last breath, there’s nothing humane about that. I believe that he needs jail time, we have to set an example that people can’t do this.”
Stoltzfus will be arraigned and formally read his charges in Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas. His formal arraignment is set for June 14.
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