Failure to provide vet care, maggot infestation Frederick, MD (US) Incident Date: Monday, Jul 31, 2006 County: Calvert Local Map: available Disposition: Convicted Abuser/Suspect: Kevin Patrick Buker

Case ID: 10716 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in MD (US) Login to Watch this Case

A Howard County paramedic who thought he could treat his German shepherd's injured paw himself instead of taking her to the veterinarian was fined $200 plus $57.50 in court costs on Feb 7, 2007 when convicted of animal cruelty.

Nine days after Kevin Patrick Buker, 38, of Libertytown, realized 5-year-old Tasha was injured by getting tangled in a metal cable in August, the dog's condition had deteriorated, according to documents filed in Frederick County District Court. It was so bad, he took her to the Buckeystown Veterinary Hospital to be euthanized and cremated.

Before cremation, Dr. Brooke Loewenstein removed a bandage from Tasha's paw, according to the documents.

"A horrific necrotic odor was present, with maggots seen on the dressing," the documents stated.

Three inches of metatarsal bones were totally exposed, absent of any flesh, where the dog had been licking and chewing at the injured area, the documents state.

Loewenstein contacted the Frederick County Division of Animal Control.

Animal Control Officers Michael Douglas and John Teal investigated the case, and a psychological evaluation was conducted on Buker.

The psychologist said Buker's error in judgment was his belief that he could treat the dog's torn paw himself. He is not a veterinarian.

Assistant State's Attorney Kirsten N. Brown wanted Judge Oliver John Cejka Jr. to prohibit the Buker family from keeping their more than a dozen pets, including cats, rabbits, alpacas and dogs.

They bought a Labrador puppy for Christmas, even though they had financial difficulties covering veterinary bills, court documents state.

Cejka allowed them to keep their animals, but he told them they could not get any more while Buker is on 18 months of unsupervised probation. The judge suspended a 90-day jail sentence.

Defense attorney Marc Ward represented Buker.

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References

Frederick News-Post - Feb 9, 2007

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