REISTERSTOWN, MD — A funeral service will be held in Reisterstown this week for the 27 dogs found dead in a Carroll County home earlier this spring. The Baltimore Humane Society will lay the ashes of the dogs to rest at its pet cemetery in Baltimore County.
“All of us at Baltimore Humane were devastated and heartbroken by the discovery of these dogs,” Baltimore Humane Society Memorial Park Director Veronica Van Hof said in a statement.
More than 50 dogs were found in April at 4302 Black Rock Road in Hampstead, where a couple was running an illegal breeding operation, according to the Baltimore Humane Society.
Deputies were called to check on the welfare of dogs after an anonymous tip at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, April 5, alerted authorities to the presence of many dogs at the property, where nobody had been seen in more than a week, according to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.
“This was one of the most disturbing scenes that many of the first responders have ever seen,” Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees said in a statement.
When the animal control officer approached the residence, there was a rancid odor, and nobody answered the door, according to the sheriff’s office. With assistance from Hampstead firefighters, authorities checked the residence and found nobody at home but dogs throughout the residence, which was covered in feces. Some dogs were alive and rescued, while others were found dead in the home.
Initially, the sheriff’s office said there were 11 dogs deceased.
In the days that followed, 15 more dogs were found that did not survive being locked in a shed, and one more dog was discovered dead inside the home, where first responders had to wear breathing masks to navigate through inches of raw sewage on the floor to get the dogs out, according to the Carroll County Times.
Assisting with the rescue and recovery operation were members of fire companies from Hampstead, Manchester, Pleasant Valley, Gamber and Upperco as well as Hanover’s air unit and personnel from the Carroll County hazmat team, officials reported.
John J. Roberts, 49, and Laura S. Filler, 55, both of Hampstead, were each indicted on 109 charges:
Roberts is being held without bail and has an initial hearing in Carroll County Circuit Court on Friday, June 7. Filler is set to go to trial on July 9.
The couple was reportedly operating an unlicensed breeding operation called Black Rock Puppies and Black Rock Dalmatians.
“This case is a stark reminder of the unsung work that our local animal control officers and Humane Society staff do day in and day out,” Sheriff DeWees said. “I encourage everyone to support their efforts as they take care of the surviving animals that were removed from the residence.”
Of the 27 dogs that were rescued, officials from the Humane Society of Carroll County said that 20 were Dalmatians, which were placed with Dalmatian rescues due to the complexity of the situation and their breed. Five were golden retrievers, and two were English setters, according to officials.
When the dogs initially came in, the Humane Society of Carroll County became so full that shelters in Baltimore and Howard counties took its adoptable animals to make room for the Black Rock rescues.
“While efforts have been made to help the surviving dogs, Baltimore Humane Society feels it’s equally important to give a peaceful, respectful memorial for those 27 who did not survive,” the no-kill shelter based in Reisterstown said in a statement this week.
The 27 deceased dogs were cremated, and their ashes will be buried at Baltimore Humane Society Memorial Park Cemetery. Also buried there were the ashes of more than 200 dogs who were part of a hoarding situation in Rockville in 2012, according to the Baltimore Humane Society.
“We want only peace for the survivors and for those who were lost,” said Van Hof, who will lead a brief funeral service. “Our wish is for people to learn from their sacrifice, and to help the unfortunate dogs be remembered and honored.”
A memorial will be dedicated, and 27 empty collars will be displayed with names that the shelter gave to the 27 dogs who did not survive. Flowers will be placed at the memorial as well.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 6, at Baltimore Humane Society Memorial Park Cemetery at 1601 Nicodemus Road, in Reisterstown. The memorial service is open to the public.
RELATED: Over Two Dozen Dogs Rescued From Carroll Co. Home
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