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Oscar David Ortolaza, 30, and Samantha Johnna Coppe, 28, both of the 6400 block of Hollow Drive were charged on Monday based on findings of an investigation starting in June.
The investigation stemmed from two incidences in June where Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department took custody, housed and transported a total of three dogs.
Both times the animals were recovered, they were housed at 860 Durlach Rd in Stevens Pennsylvania before eventually being transported by NLCRPD to the Lancaster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) located at 848 S Prince Street in Lancaster.
The first incident was when two dogs were recovered by a local who found the Rottweilers and turned them over to the care of NLCRPD at 2000 Miller Road on June 24 around 6:30 p.m.
The dogs were traced to their owner using a microchip identification owned by Pet Link showing the couple as the contacts.
The couple had registered a West Virginia address with Pet Link but the couple currently resides at an address on Hollow Drive East Petersburg.
Ortolaza was informed by police of a fine and procedures to reunite with his dogs.
He told police his girlfriend, Coppe would pick up the dogs that day.
No one ever came to the station and the following evening the animals were turned over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
All missing or stray dogs are typically turned over to the PA SPCA.
The standard fee for missing dogs under the so-called "dog law" (459-101) is $350 per dog whenever they are transported by police to the PA SPCA.
A few days later a pitbull puppy was found near Hollow Drive in East Petersburg.
The reporting person identified herself as Coppe and claimed she found a lost dog.
She told police the animal had no tags and was instructed to cage the animal and turn it over to police-- which she did on June 28 around 9:45 a.m.
A further investigation into these incidents began on July 6.
A witness reported to police that the couple had multiple dogs matching the description of the Rottweilers and Pitbull, living at their home in East Petersburg.
Other witnesses described the dog's appearances or pointed out cages in the driveway of the couple to police.
A golden retriever is also reported to have belonged to the couple, although no instances relating that animal occurred and that dog's status is unknown.
Police believe the couple, specifically Coppe, attempted to report missing animals as a way to attempt to circumvent being charged any fees.
When Ortolaza did not retrieve his animals it was considered an act of animal abandonment which is a crime.
Ortolaza did tell police he wanted to abandon animals but by not turning up to the police station to pay the transportation fees he did so improperly and incurring even greater monetary loss.
By abandoning all three dogs in this haphazard manner, the couple owe a fee of $1050 to the police and PA SPCA.
Charges were filed by summons on Monday.
The fees remained unpaid and neither party has been arrested.
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