Attorneys/Judges
| Defense(s): | James Keatts | | Judge(s): | Robert Wilcox |
CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #15759 Rating: 1.3 out of 5
Hoarding - 21 dogs seized, covered in mange
Orchard Beach, MD (US)Incident Date: Friday, Aug 28, 2009
County: Anne Arundel
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Jeffrey Taylor
» Janet Taylor
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A severe case of animal abuse is being investigated in Orchard Beach.
Kelly McPherson reports twenty-one dogs were found inside a home and inside a travel trailer on the property.
It was so filthy inside, the firefighters had to use hazmat suits to get inside. The first thing you notice about the house is the stench.
"Death and feces and everything dumped into one bad smell," said Krysta Dear who called the county executive.
Dear has been calling Anne Arundel County agencies for months complaining about the property.
Finally on Friday, it required a man suited up for hazardous material to go in to take pictures. Inside, Animal Control found 21 dogs.
The county executive liaison was the first official to see and smell the inhumane conditions.
"There were mattresses that had feces on them, and there was feces piled up inside the trailer uhm, where the dogs were living, and I didn't see any evidence of food or water. But certainly in the trailer, the windows were covered up in plastic," said Joan Harris.
The fire department says a man in his 40's lives inside with the dogs. Now Animal Control has all of them, and they are of all mixed breeds and ages.
"Only two of them had hair because they were all mangy and flea-bitten. And the thing that really broke my heart the most was the fact that they were six-week-old puppies," said Dear.
You can still smell the house from several homes away. Neighbors say their association has complained about the property for years. They're glad something is being done.
"Well I think we should prosecute to the fullest extent of the law," said John Leopold, AACO executive. "Clearly it's a hazard to all of his adjacent neighbors."
The man who lives inside hasn't been charged with any animal abuse charges yet, but social services has been called to work with him.
The county executive has deemed the home uninhabitable.
Case UpdatesAn Anne Arundel County woman and her adult son, who were charged with animal cruelty after 21 malnourished and flea-infested dogs were found living in their home, pleaded guilty Friday and were sentenced to probation.
Janet Taylor, 62, and Jeffrey Taylor, 38, of Orchard Beach, each pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty in a plea deal with prosecutors in Anne Arundel County District Court in Annapolis, according to Janet Taylor's attorney, James Keatts.
Judge Robert Wilcox sentenced both Taylors to a suspended sentence of 450 days in jail and three years of probation. Janet Taylor was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, and Jeffrey Taylor was ordered to complete 1,000 hours of community service.
The pair were arrested Sept. 9, and each was charged with 21 counts for the abuse and neglect of 21 dogs found living in their home, in the 7900 block of Seabreeze Drive, which county officials condemned.
Two dogs were euthanized because of congestive heart failure, while the others were placed in shelters for adoption. The judge also told the Taylors they could not have any pets. | Source: Baltimore Sun - Dec 5, 2009
Update posted on Dec 6, 2009 - 5:46PM |
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