LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A man and woman from Lancaster Count are facing charges after police say they abandoned three dogs on two separate occasions over the last three weeks.
Oscar David Ortolaza, 30, and Samantha Johnna Coppe, 28, both of East Petersburg, were charged after Northern Lancaster County Regional Police twice took custody of, transported, and cared for three dogs belonging to them on June 24 and June 26, police say.
The dogs were housed and cared for at NLCRPD agency-licensed kennels located at 860 Durlach Rd in Stevens before eventually being transported by NLCRPD to the Lancaster County SPCA, police say.
The first incident, involving two dogs, occurred at 6:30 a.m. on June 24, according to police. Officers responded to the area of 2000 Miller Rd in East Petersburg to meet with a complainant who had found two Rottweiler dogs in the area of Graystone Road and Hollow Drive, police say.
The dogs were transported to the NLCRPD to complete a scan for a microchip identification. One of the dogs did return a chip number from Pet Link, according to police. The registered owner was identified as Ortolaza, who was contacted at a phone number registered to Coppe.
Police say they got in touch with Ortolaza and advised him of the fines and procedures involved in reuniting with the dogs. Ortolaza said Coppe, his girlfriend, would come to the station to collect the dogs later that day.
No one showed up, police say.
Police say they made several attempts to contact Ortolaza and Coppe the next day, leaving messages stating the dogs would be transported to the SPCA if they did not respond.
When the owners did not contact police by the end of the day, the dogs were transported to the SPCA, according to police.
Whenever a dog is transported to the SPCA by the NLCRPD, the minimum fee for all instances is $350 per dog, according to police.
In a separate incident on June 26, police say, officers were contacted by Coppe, who claimed she had found a pitbull puppy near Hollow Drive in East Petersburg. Coppe said the dog was in her garage, and police came to collect the puppy to determine who owned it.
The puppy was transported to the NLCRPD headquarters to check for identifiers, none of which were located. The dog was transported to the SPCA on June 28, police say.
After further vetting into both incidents was conducted, police say, it was determined a deeper follow up investigation was warranted.
Police began canvassing the area around Hollow Drive in East Petersburg on July 6, and learned from several cooperating witnesses that Coppe had multiple dogs on her property.
They were described at least two rather large dogs, consistent with Rottweilers, according to police.
One witness described seeing two “beautiful” Rottweilers, a pitbull puppy, and a golden retriever on Coppe's property, according to police.
Police later determined that Coppe filed a false report to them on June 26, regarding the pitbull puppy she claimed she had found.
The puppy was seen at the address for a substantial amount of time before the date she reported finding it, according to police. Reporting the puppy as a found dog circumvents the abandonment process and fees associated, police say.
Police say Coppe deceived the NLCRPD by creating and reinforcing a false impression and failing to correct such.
When ORTOLAZA failed to pick up his two Rottweilers after NLCRPD police informed him they were being housed at the NLCRPD facility, he thus committed the offense of animal abandonment, police say.
Ortolaza also intentionally obtained the service of housing and transport for his abandoned dogs, according to police. He was informed of all fees associated, to which he intentionally avoided payment. He allegedly wanted to relinquish the Rottweilers and used the service provided by police to circumvent the process and associated fees with the SPCA.
The fees for the transfer and care of all three dogs belonging to Ortolaza and Coppe totaled $1,050, according to police.
