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44 dogs rescued from Maryland home after suspected animal cruelty

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44 bully-type breed dogs were removed from a Harford County home following a report of suspected animal cruelty on Thursday.

Harford County Deputies and Animal Control Officers were called to the residence on the 1400 block of Eagles Grove Court, in Whiteford, on Friday, July 11, 2025, following a complaint of suspected inhumane conditions.

When officers arrived, they found multiple violations of Maryland Criminal Law (Title 10, Section 604) and Harford County Code (Section 64-18) due to the mistreatment, abuse, or neglect of animals.

These violations included the lack of access to drinkable water, improper shelter, and poor air quality, along with insufficient space, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office. 

Officers also observed extremely soiled bedding inside the kennels, insufficient ventilation, and temperature controls where the animals were housed.

On Thursday, July 17, 2025, after officers secured safe kenneling for the dogs, they executed a search warrant at the residence with support from numerous agencies, including the Criminal Investigations Division and Forensic Sciences Unit, the Harford Humane Society, and the Harford County Department of Emergency Services Special Operations Division, Hazardous Materials Unit.

The 44 dogs were then safely transported to a local shelter for evaluation and care.

As the investigation is ongoing, police ask anyone with information relating to this crime to call Animal Control at 410-638-3505.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may report their information through Metro Crime Stoppers Tipline at 1-866-7Lockup.

Animal cruelty in Harford County

Earlier this month, a pharmacist in Harford County was sentenced to one year in prison for using prescription drugs to kill his dog

After 38-year-old Ryan Kenneth Ball, of Bel Air, tried to pay people to take his 6-year-old Plott Hound, Louie, Ball took it upon himself to kill the dog.

Harford County deputies found syringes and two prescription drug vials in a neighbor's trash can.

The drugs are often used to relax a patient's muscles during surgery, which can lead to breathing issues and even death if the patient is not ventilated, according to court documents.

Ball was a licensed pharmacist at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.

In a separate case of animal cruelty, Harford County residents rescued a 4-month-old pitbull after witnessing her get abandoned on Winters Run Road back in May.

"It felt like a movie," Jonathan Izer, a neighbor, told WJZ. "It was devastating, really sad, just to watch the puppy run after the car, and they didn't stop or slow down or anything. It was quite heartbreaking."

Izer reportedly watched the entire abandonment from his porch, which he then alerted the Harford County Sheriff's Office.

Offenders may face up to a $1,000 fine and or 90 days in jail for abandoning an animal in Harford County.

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