Sign: Cat-Killing Man Laughed And Joked About Killing Neighborhood Cats

Published: March 01, 2024 at 02:56 AM Author: PENNY EIMS

Hardin County, Ohio – For years, 37-year-old Andrew Dilts has been capturing cats in his neighborhood and killing them. Dilts has boasted, laughed, and bragged about killing the cats much to the dismay of his neighbors, who owned some of the felines as pets.

Dilts admits to capturing 14 cats – it is alleged that the cats died after being shot, having their throats slit, or from being shot with an arrow.

Animal Legal Defense Fund outlines the animal protection laws for animals in Ohio:

OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 959.13. Cruelty to animals.

(A) No person shall:(1) Torture an animal, deprive one of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, needlessly mutilate or kill, or impound or confine an animal without supplying it during such confinement

OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 1717.01. Definitions.

(A) “Animal” includes every living dumb creature;
(B) “Cruelty,” “torment,” and “torture” include every act, omission, or neglect by which
unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering is caused, permitted, or allowed to
continue, when there is a reasonable remedy or relief;

Despite the “needless mutilation or killing” of more than a dozen neighborhood cats, Dilts is only facing a misdemeanor charge.

Animal Victory is petitioning for Prosecutor Bailey of the Hardin County Ohio courts to charge this evil individual, Dilts, with felony animal cruelty for the horrific nature of his behavior. Please add your name to the petition if you want justice for these victimized cats who died in a violent, cruel manner.

We the undersigned demand that Andrew Dilts be charged with felony animal cruelty for trapping and killing numerous neighborhood cats. This petition acts as our collective endorsement for this individual to be punished to the fullest extent of the law for killing  more than a dozen cats in his community.

Note: On February 22, Andrew Dilts requested a continuance to secure an attorney.

Individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Animal Victory relies upon the authorities and the court system to determine guilt or innocence.

News:

WKTN News

Update 12/19/2024: VICTORY!  Even though Andrew Dilts’s was charged with a Misdemeanor. If he does it again, he will be charged with a felony for a second act of abuse.

1) He was only charged with a misdemeanor  because of Goddard’s law in Ohio. If a companion animal is tortured or killed then, and only then, it becomes a felony.
2) Dilts’s spent two to three months in a drug rehab facility lockdown as part of his sentence, meaning that any possible business interests of his were basically destroyed – It’s possible he owned a construction company/entity.
3) The reason he will be doing community service in an animal control pound is that the dog warden needs help. It’s a no-kill facility and they are overwhelmed. He will be under supervision and will be cleaning dog feces and urine out of kennels. He will not be allowed near cats. 
4) When he was arrested for killing feral cats, he violated his probation, so he also has upcoming hearings in January  related to additional charges he is facing by violating his probation.

FINE AMOUNT $ 200.00
DEF. PLED GUILTY, FOUND G, FINE 200.00, SUSP
AND COSTS
JAIL 90, SUSP 88
SPECIAL CONDITIONS:
REPORTING PROBATION FROM 11/26/2024 TO 11/26/2025
16 HOURS COMMUNITY SERVICE
NOTICES COSTS $68.00
ENTRY COST $158.00

JURY DEMAND COST $15.00
PROB/PS PAPERS $20.00
COURT PROBATION SERVICES FUND $125.00
BENCH RECALL ENTRY COST $10.00

HEARING-04/21/2025 12:45 PM – HEARING

HEARING-02/19/2025 9:00 AM – PAY HEARING

PUBLIC SERVICE HOURS ARE TO BE DONE AT EITHER THE DOG POUND OR HUMANE SOCIETY AND COMPLETED WITHIN 45 DAYS. DEFENDANT IS TO SIGN A RELEASE OF INFORMATION FOR THE PROBATION OFFICER TO CHECK ON THE RESULT OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT. DEFENDANT IS TO REPORT TO THE HARDIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WITHIN 24 HOURS TO BE FINGERPRINTED. BENCH WARRANT PREVIOUSLY ISSUED IS QUASHED AND RECALLED.

Update 9/17/2024: Andrew Dilts has been incarcerated on another matter and his attorney appeared in court on July 15, 2024 without him. Because of this, a bench warrant was filed for Dilts arrest on 08/30/2024. Dilts has been charged with animal cruelty – 2nd degree misdemeanor.

Update 6/27/2024: Animal Victory sent petition with updated signatures to the court and DA. 

Update 6/24/2024: Andrew Dilts has a change of plea hearing scheduled for 07/15/2024 at 1:00 p.m. E.S.T. The hearing will. be held in the Hardin County Municipal Court, OH.

Update 5/16/2024: Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Tudor has told us Andrew Dilts has not, as of yet, changed his plea. He is currently pleading not guilty. Also, to be clear, the reason the prosecuting attorney is charging Dilts with misdemeanors rather than felonies is due to Godard’s Law. Although an investigation was conducted to see if any of the animals that Dilts murdered were “companion” animals, they were all considered to be strays or feral, thus not covered under Godard’s law. The good news is Dilts is currently in jail due to a completely different charge resulting in a parole violation.

Update 4/8/2024: Animal Victory sent petition to the court and DA. 

Update 3/26/2024: Andrew Dilts’ next hearing is scheduled on 04/22/2024. He is being charged at this time, with a Misdemeanor 2.  Kenton City Prosecutor Andrew Tudor can charge Dilts a 5th degree felony; Animal Victory is attempting to get in touch with the Prosecutor to see if he is pursuing the felony charge.