Face nearly 1,000 counts in Montgomery and Lehigh Counties

Melanie Rehrig	Jason Wieder

            Two Upper Hanover residents facing multiple criminal counts of animal cruelty in Lehigh County have been charged similarly in Montgomery County. Melanie Rehrig, 33, and Jason Wieder, 39, both of Station Road, each face 814 counts from an Oct. 18 incident.

            Rehrig and Wieder are accused of keeping 258 animals at a home in the 1100 block of Station Road in unsanitary conditions without access to adequate food and water. They each face five felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, 32 misdemeanor counts that includes 23 for neglect of animals and nine for cruelty to animals. The summary offenses include 258 each for failure to provide sustenance, failure to provide shelter and cruelty and one for fishing without a license.

            Tracie Graham, an officer for the Montgomery County SPCA, along with fellow humane society police officers Rhonda Thomas and Barbara Morgan, seized 258 animals – which included rats, guinea pigs, frogs, snakes, ferrets, skunks, turtles, water turtles, tortoises and alligators – from the residence in the Palm section of the township. Unsanitary conditions were discovered throughout the home, and a strong odor of urine and ammonia was detected, according to the police criminal complaint filed in the Red Hill court of District Judge Maureen Coggins on Nov. 19.

            Troy Merrell, an officer with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, determined that the duo   illegally possessed two Southern Leopard Frogs, which have been identified as endangered species in Pennsylvania. Merrell also determined that Rehrig and Wieder possessed a Midland Painted Turtle and an Eastern Painted Turtle without first possessing a valid 2018 resident annual fishing license, according to affidavit of probable cause.

            A search warrant signed by Coggins at 2:45 p.m. on Oct. 17 allowed law enforcement officials to search the home and property on Station Road, which included a detached garage and storage sheds.  According to a receipt of seized property attached to the warrant, law enforcement officials recovered 19 rats, 32 guinea pigs, two frogs and one frog aquarium from the garage; 16 snakes, one dead snake, 16 ferrets and one wire ferret cage on wheels from a first floor bedroom; five tortoises and eleven turtles from another first floor bedroom, two skunks and one ferret in the master bedroom, six snakes in an upstairs hallway, 79 snakes and 13 tortoises from a small upstairs bedroom; two snakes, 27 turtles and three alligators from the living room and eight snakes and 14 water turtles from an upstairs bathroom.

            According to Morgan, Wieder was at the Upper Hanover home during the search. "He told me they were his pets," the officer said.

            An examination of the seized animals by a veterinarian in Radnor found that several were severely dehydrated. Two ferrets were identified as being in critical need of care. Two of the three snakes seized were dead. The third snake was euthanized by another animal doctor, and two tortoises and two guinea pigs died after the seizure, according to the legal document.

            On Monday, Coggins informed Rehrig and Wieder of their legal rights during a video arraignment. The judge also went over each specific charge and potential sentence for the defendants, who appeared from the state police barracks in Skippack after turning themselves in earlier in the day. A felony conviction carries a maximum sentence of 3 ½ to seven years, Coggins said.

            The judge set bail for both defendants at $25,000 unsecured. Coggins included conditions that prevent Rehrig and Wieder from owning, possessing or contacting any animals.

            "You can't have an animal in your house," she said during the 19-minute hearing. "I'm very serious about this."

            Coggins set the preliminary hearing for 10 a.m. on Dec. 5. However, Trooper Brad Furlong - one of three arresting officers - stated that he might need the judge to pick another date due to scheduling conflicts.

            Luanne DeWolf is listed as the Upper Hanover property owner, according to Montgomery County property records. DeWolf has a mailing address in Mertztown.

            The couple faces multiple criminal counts of animal cruelty in Lehigh County. Earlier this month, they were each charged with five counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals and six misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals from an October 15 incident.

            Weider is also accused of six misdemeanor counts of neglect of animals and 81 summary offenses of animal neglect. Rehrig has been charged with five misdemeanor counts and 81 summary offenses of animal neglect, according to information posted on a state judicial website.

            Charges in the Lehigh County case were filed Friday, Nov. 2, 18 days after emergency responders removed more than 100 animals from their residence in the 900 block of Hillcrest Drive South in Macungie property.

            Rehrig and Wieder were arraigned on the same day by Emmaus District Judge Donna R. Butler. Both defendants were released on $25,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing in this case is scheduled for Friday.

            Morgan informed Graham that Wieder pleaded to several counts of animal cruelty from a 2014 incident in Lehigh County, the warrant states. Wieder, 39, of Macungie, pleaded guilty to 12 summary cruelty to animal counts in January of 2015 before District Judge Donna R. Jason from an Oct. 23, 2014 incident, according to information posted on a state judicial website.