SAXONBURG — Two sisters accused of animal abuse failed to appear in district court Wednesday.

Despite the absence of the defendants Susan L. Batz, 67, and Robin Batz, 63, both of Valencia, a preliminary hearing was still held. The sisters have been free on $30,000 unsecured bond. While prosecutors could have opted to request an arrest warrant for the two, they instead moved forward with the preliminary hearing.

District Judge Sue Haggerty said she agreed to do so because the Batz sisters had been arrested, arraigned in-person and informed of Wednesday's court time, date and place.

Haggerty swore in officer Bryan Costanzo of the Middlesex Township Police, who testified to the accuracy of the criminal complaint and the charges.

According to the complaint, authorities found four neglected dogs — a combination of mastiffs and terriers — and four other dead dogs in the sisters' home.

“There were three dog carcasses found at the top of the stairs on the third level of the home and a fourth carcass found in the third-level bedroom area,” the affidavit said.

The sisters are expected to appear for a formal arraignment July 6 in the Butler County Court of Common Pleas. However, for now, they remain free on bond.