A West Hempfield Township couple charged with neglecting nearly 100 animals they kept inside their home will have their cases proceed to county court after waiving their preliminary hearings earlier this month. 

Jessica Lynn Drexler, 44, and Andrew S. Culp, 42, waived their preliminary hearings before Judge Miles Bixler on May 15 on 146 different offenses including two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.

Drexler and Culp are accused of abusing 93 different animals including dogs, cats and rabbits at their shared residence in the 700 block of High Ridge Road in April. The couple had previously been charged with one count each of endangering the welfare of a child and conspiring to endanger the welfare of a child in connection to the living conditions of a 16-year-old boy living at the residence. 

When the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) executed a search warrant at the home in late April they discovered dogs hoarded in crates, some of which were zip-tied shut, animals suffering from severe matting and hair loss and piles of fecal matter and urine pooling throughout the residence. Many of the dogs had fecal matter caked onto their bodies. 

Dogs recovered by law enforcement appeared under-socialized and terrified, unaccustomed to being leashed or handled. Officers removed so many animals from the home that they required the assistance of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office in order to corral all of them.

While speaking to police Culp said that not all of the animals had been given names and said they had no veterinarian, explaining that the couple purchased their own shots for the dogs. At one point Culp asked officers to not involve his wife in the matter due to her occupation as a nursing director.

An HVAC technician who reported the residence to the SPCA stated that he had to exit the garage to vomit due to the pungent odor inside caused by feces and urine. The technician also detected a strong concentration of ammonia in a bedroom as well as flying insects.

Both Drexler and Culp remain free on $25,000 unsecured bail. Neither defendant can obtain any animals as part of their bail conditions. 

Pennsylvania SPCA Officer Jennifer Nields and West Hempfield Township Police Officer Ruhama Lamure filed the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp will prosecute the case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.