A Baltimore man faces nearly 180 animal cruelty charges, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s office announced Thursday, almost three months after 83 dogs and one cat were rescued from a rowhome in Central Park Heights.
Robert L. Conley, 46, faces 178 misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, according to online court records. They include failing to provide food, air, space and veterinary care to animals in his care.
He was arrested Wednesday, according to the state’s attorney’s office, and does not have an attorney listed in online court records.
The rescued dogs were called “The Cakes” by the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (often called BARCS). Any time a group of multiple animals comes into the shelter, it is assigned a group name.
“Animal cruelty is a serious and intolerable offense that reflects a deep depravity and disregard for the well-being of innocent creatures. The 178 counts of animal cruelty in this case underscores our commitment to holding those who harm animals accountable,” State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement.
Officers approached the property in the 5100 block of Pembridge Avenue on May 20 over a failure to pay rent, according to charging documents. After noticing “the state of the property and the plethora of dogs that were being housed,” officials got a search and seizure warrant.
When animal control officials entered the basement of the property, there was “a noxious odor of ammonia and animal waste,” according to the charging documents, which also say the basement — where dozens of dogs were caged — was dark, hot and humid with very little natural light.
Conley was selling the animals on social media, according to charging documents. The state’s attorney’s office said Conley did not have a permit for breeding dogs.
The dogs in the basement are described in the charging documents as having “severely soiled and matted” coats, living in confined, rusted wire cages, living among soiled pads and not having access to fresh water or food. Some of the crates were stacked on top of each other.
There was a Herculean effort at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter to get the dogs cleaned up and medically cleared after they were seized from the property.
Since then, the dogs have been adopted or sent to specialized rescues because they were too young to be adopted. A cat removed from the home, named Sponge Cake, is in a foster home and available to be adopted, according to the rescue’s adoption website.
“The public can know that the Sheriff’s Office took our time to ensure we put together a very thorough investigation that led to 178 counts, proof that their Sheriff does not tolerate the abuse of animals in Baltimore City,” Sheriff Sam Cogen said in a statement.
Conley has a trial scheduled for Sept. 17, according to online court records.
