Veterinarian guilty of animal cruelty to 2 cows Mount Airy, MD (US) Incident Date: Tuesday, Dec 31, 1991 County: Frederick Local Map: available Disposition: Convicted Abuser/Suspect: Richard John Burroughs

Case ID: 8121 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: cow View more cases in MD (US) Suspect was in animal welfare field Login to Watch this Case

Richard John Burroughs, 51, of Mount Airy was found guilty of animal cruelty in Howard County District Court Friday.

Burroughs received a sentence of two years supervised probation, 350 hours of community service and was fined $500 after District Judge Louis Becker decided on May 18 the animals had been mistreated.

Judge Becker said, "I have to hold you to a higher standard than someone who's a farmer or a simple pet owner."

Burroughs' attorney, Daniel Green, said his client will appeal to the District Court. "We thought the sentence was excessive."

Green also said Burroughs lost his job as a veterinary medical officer with the Food and Drug Administration after the conviction. This decision will also be appealed.

Burroughs was charged in January 1992 when a county animal control officer saw the cows at his farm. They were an 11-year old Jersey heifer and an 8-year old Hereford heifer. Burroughs was accused of failing to provide the cows with nutritious food, care, water, air, space, shelter and protection from the weather.

Burroughs also pleaded guilty to a trespassing charge stemming from an altercation at the county police department on May 27, 1992. If Burroughs completes one year of unsupervised probation, the incident will be removed from his record. He became loud and argumentative when a county police officer asked him to sign a criminal court summons issued to him for the cruelty case.

The defendant refused to leave the police station when asked to do so. Burroughs could have been sentenced to six months in jail and fines $1,000 on the trespassing charge. A related disorderly conduct charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement.

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References

Baltimore Sun - July 25, 1993

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