13 unvaccinated, improperly tethered pit bulls Gaithersburg, MD (US) Incident Date: Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006 County: Montgomery Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Abuser names unreleased

Case ID: 8197 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (pit-bull) View more cases in MD (US) Drugs or alcohol involved Login to Watch this Case

Two men were arrested on April 19 after police, responding to neighbors� complaints, searched their Gaithersburg home and found more than a dozen unlicensed pit bulls along with several weapons and drugs.

County police had obtained a search warrant for the residence, in the 8100 block of Brink Road, after receiving several nuisance complaints from neighbors on issues ranging from ��excessive barking to allegations of animal cruelty and dog fighting,� according to a police statement.

Police had also gotten the warrant because the dogs� owner, Charles Henry Copeland, 40, of the 8100 block of Brink Road, had refused to allow officers to interview him and inspect the dogs, police said.

Apart from 13 unlicensed and unvaccinated pit bulls, police found several weapons, including a sawed-off shotgun, as well as marijuana with ��baggies with marijuana residue� used to contain the drug, Lucille Baur, a county police spokeswoman, said.

Police arrested Copeland and issued him a written criminal citation for possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia, and also arrested Robert William Palmer III, 18, also of the 8100 block of Brink Road, charging him with possession of a sawed-off shotgun.

They also charged Palmer with possession of a regulated firearm or ammunition by a minor, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and possession of related paraphernalia.

The legal age to have firearms is 21, Baur said.

Police also charged Copeland with 13 counts each of unvaccinated dogs and unlicensed dogs as well as two counts of improper tethering

��All the dogs were examined by a veterinarian and no evidence was found of mistreatment or injury,� the police statement said. ��After Copeland took care of the vaccination and licensing of the dogs, they were returned to him.�

Palmer was released on $10,000 bond. Additional firearms charges are pending.

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References

Gazette.Net - April 25, 2006

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