 10 puppies beaten to death, mother dog shot
Keedysville, MD (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Sep 23, 2003
County: Washington
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: 17 year old boy
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A 17-year-old Keedysville boy was charged with 11 counts of animal mutilation in connection with the bludgeoning deaths of 10 puppies and the shooting death of an adult dog, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
The animal mutilation charges are felonies. Conviction on an animal mutilation charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
The teenager also was charged with 11 counts of malicious destruction of property.
Police were called at about 5:40 p.m. to a Mansfield Road home in Keedysville, where the homeowner discovered the dead animals in a kennel, Cpl. Daniel Faith said.
The dead animals were 5-week-old puppies and their mother, police said. An adult male dog, believed to be the puppies' father, was shot but was still alive when police arrived.
The homeowner told police he believed it was the 17-year-old who was responsible, Faith said.
Faith said the two were relatives and there was an ongoing dispute between them. Faith said he would not clarify the relationship between the two to protect the boy's identity because he is a juvenile.
Faith alleged that the boy admitted to striking the puppies with a shovel and shooting the adult dogs with a small-caliber rifle.
The adult male dog was taken to the Cumberland Valley Veterinary Clinic in Hagerstown with facial wounds.
Tammy Snyder, the clinic's office manager, said it appeared the 2-year-old pit bull terrier had been shot once in the face, and X-rays showed bullet fragments embedded in the dog's sinus cavity. Doctors would leave the fragments inside, Snyder said.
She said the animal was in fair condition, but was in pain and "probably will not leave for a few days." Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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