50 Counts Of Animal Cruelty Charged In Columbia Case

COLUMBIA, MD — Two board members of a beleaguered nonprofit animal shelter in Columbia were charged July 2 with 50 counts of animal cruelty after dozens animals were found to be living in poor conditions there nearly two months ago. Howard County Police said Scott Pascucci, 48, and Julie Mazurkiewicz, 46, both of the 8500 block of Davis Road, are each charged with failing to provide veterinarian care to the animals, fostering unsanitary living conditions and causing pain and suffering.

Pascucci and Mazurkiewicz are both board members of the Animal Welfare Society of Howard County. On May 10 authorities removed 165 animals from their facility after a tip about poor conditions at the facility, according to police. The tip indicated that there was "overcrowding, foul odor and a lack of cleanliness" at the nonprofit, according to the Howard County Police Department.

The concerned citizen contacted Howard County Animal Control on May 9, and officers visited the facility with a warrant the following day.

The pair were arrested at their home Tuesday morning and each was released on $25,000 bond, police said. Each of the 50 counts could carry up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail.

Inside the facility at 8556 Davis Road in Columbia, animal control officers said they found many animals in poor health, including cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds. While police estimated that there were more than 100 animals removed at the time, the final tally was 165.

Animal control officers moved the pets from the Animal Welfare Society of Howard County to the Howard County Animal Control & Adoption Center, located nearby. That facility is run by the county. There, the pets received veterinary care.

More than 100 of the rescued animals have been placed in new homes and others are still available for adoption, the Howard County Animal Control & Adoption Center said Tuesday on Facebook. Some of the animals were too sick to survive and were euthanized.

To help care for the animals, the Howard County Animal Control & Adoption Center is accepting the following forms of donations:

• Money
• Pet food (cat, dog, rabbit, bird, guinea pig)
• Pet bedding

The Howard County Animal Control & Adoption Center is at 8576 Davis Road in Columbia.