2 dogs found dead in abandoned crate in Harford County sparks outrage

Animal control officials in Harford County are investigating the deaths of two dogs discovered in a covered crate in a residential area in Edgewood.

A woman walking her dog found two small terriers dead inside a crate on Harford Square Drive. 

The Harford County Sheriff's Office is currently seeking information about who might have left the two dogs in the crate to determine whether it could be a case of animal cruelty. 

Disturbing discovery 

Down a small walking path off J Court on Harford Square Drive in Edgewood, the black, metal dog crate still sits on the ground with a white bowl reading "eat, bark, repeat" overturned inside. 

The crate was covered with two blankets, which are now on the ground next to it.

One is blanket is made of brown cloth, another of yellow plastics inside the crate, a neighbor found the bodies of two small terriers.

"We can't even imagine why somebody would do that," Barbara Parton said. "We don't know if they starved to death or if they died and they put them in there just to get rid of them. It's very sad."

The dogs were dumped on the other side of Parton's fence. She told WJZ Investigates the woman who found them alerted her son. 

"He went out and looked, and it had covers over it. He lifted it up, and there were two puppies in there," Parton told WJZ. "He said they were not newborn, but they were approximately four to six weeks old."

The Harford County Sheriff's Office said there was a brindle male terrier and a tan female terrier wearing a multicolored collar with pink clasps. 

The crate, which still sits at the base of the fence, has hair and feces. WJZ also saw bugs inside. 

"I couldn't even go look at them," Parton said. 

Her neighbor found the dogs on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Sheriff's investigation 

Police have looked at security video and interviewed people in the community but still need the public's help to find out more.

"So far, we have a few leads but nothing substantial," said Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler. "We do not know if they were left there alive without water and food, the things they would need to survive, whether they were abandoned in there, or whether they died somewhere else, and then the whole thing was disposed of there. Those are the kinds of answers that we would like. This could be a criminal matter—maybe not—but it could be a criminal matter if these animals suffered neglect or abandonment."

Gahler reminded the public it is not appropriate to just dump animals, no matter the circumstances.

"If you can't care for an animal, you picked up that responsibility but found you're not up for it, the Humane Society is here in the county," Gahler said. "We have animal control. We come and pick up dogs people surrender. You can turn them right into the Humane Society. You do not have to let a dog suffer. And I'm not saying 100% that's what happened in this case, but that's our fear." 

Anyone with tips should contact Harford County Animal Control at 410-638-3505.

Gahler said if criminal activity is found to have occurred, it will likely be a misdemeanor. 

He is unsure if a necropsy will be performed on the animals.

"If those animals suffered, then someone needs to be held accountable," Gahler said. 

Community demands accountability 

Parton, who owns two dogs herself, said she is still stunned this happened so close to her home. She does have a camera but said it only shows the area inside of her fence, not the area where the dogs were dumped.

"We were almost crying over it. It's sad to think what people are thinking when they do something like that. There are so many other options. If nothing else, just take them out in the woods and let them go—let them try to survive," she said. "But just to let them die in a cage and then set them out for somebody to find is disgusting."

She advocated for stiff punishment. 

"I think they should really pay," Parton said. "I don't think they should just get a smack on the hand and say, 'That was bad. Don't do it again.' That's not gonna solve anything. They need to make an example out of them."