Arrest Made in Auburn for 46 Counts of Animal Neglect

On Wednesday, April 15, 2026, Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office deputies served a search warrant at a trailer house on the west side of Auburn, based on information that animals were inside the trailer and were being neglected. During service of the warrant, 12 dogs, 31 cats and 3 deceased cats were removed. The surviving animals have been placed with Hearts United for Animals (HUA) while the case proceeds.
On Thursday, April 16, 33-year-old Shelbi Vargas was arrested on 46 counts of Animal Neglect which are class 3A felonies because of prior conviction. 
HUA took in the group of neglected animals Wednesday, with Executive Director Kelcie Keeling praising her team’s swift response.
“We got a call from the sheriff’s office and our team sprung into action,” Keeling said. “Assisting law enforcement like this is the epitome of what we do as a no-kill shelter, and we were very happy we were able to rescue the animals from horrible conditions.”
Keeling cautioned that recovery will take significant time and resources. As a nonprofit, she noted, HUA operates without the funding of a traditional humane society — making donations especially critical to covering the animals’ care.