SIDNEY - The trials of Hamburg Mayor Terry Holliman and Hamburg Police Chief Nick Millsap, both charged seven counts of animal abuse, have been continued.

The jury trials that were set to take place today in Fremont County court have been pushed back until August, according to the Iowa Courts online Web site.

The charges stem from an incident in which Millsap shot and killed seven dogs and puppies in September of 2005.

Millsap allegedly removed the dogs from a rental home after the landlord complained they were damaging the property. The owner of the dogs, Elizabeth Brock, who was in jail at the time of the incident, later claimed her daughter had been taking care of the dogs, but they hadn't been let out of the house enough.

Brock was awarded $3,500 in damages in a small claims lawsuit against Millsap and the city of Hamburg last December.

Millsap reportedly consulted with Holliman before disposing of the dogs that he has alleged suffered from mange.

Under Iowa law, "A person is guilty of a public offense if ... an employer is also criminally responsible for directing or permitting an employee to commit a public offense."aHolliman has said he never directed or permitted Millsap to shoot the dogs.