Howard Co. Couple Faces 16 Counts Of Animal Cruelty

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Two people were found guilty by a Howard County District Court judge of a total of 16 counts of animal cruelty between them, which include failing to provide sufficient food, shelter, space and veterinary care to several animals on their property, and causing unnecessary pain and suffering.

Howard County Animal Control received a call July 10, 2019, regarding skinny horses at 58-year-old Glenn Andrew Hopple's home in the 16400 block of Frederick Road in Woodbine. Control officers responded to the home and observed several skinny horses, as well as a miniature horse with overgrown hooves. They also discovered 14 miniature horses, three horses, one cow, one goat and 10 donkeys in their pastures. The officer provided a notice requiring Hopple and his wife, Berry, to take four of the miniature horses to a veterinarian within 24 hours, trim the hooves on the miniature horses and get the horse’s weights back up.

On July 12, 2019, a Howard County animal control officer went to Hopple’s residence with his veterinarian to check on the four skinny horses. The vet did a visual exam and, in his opinion, determined it was a food problem, not a parasite or teeth problem. Based on the information provided by Hopple’s vet, animal control contacted the county’s veterinarian to assess all the animals.

On July 19, 2019, a Howard County animal control officer and veterinarian visited Hopple’s home. After examining the horses, the vet ordered seven miniature horses to be impounded because of their poor condition and low body condition score. A donkey also was impounded due to its poor condition and low body condition score. The horses and donkey were taken to Days End Horse Farm for further treatment.

On Sept. 17, 2019, Howard County Animal Control received an anonymous letter regarding animals on Berry’s property in Woodbine, including the basement and barn areas. Animal control officers responded to the address and were provided access to the residence by Berry. The officers observed feces and urine tracked throughout the house. Eight dogs in the residence were in poor condition and impounded by animal control. Two, specifically, were extremely thin and in need of medical attention, which the county’s veterinarian provided. Three turtles and one bird were also impounded.

On Sept. 20, 2019, Howard County Animal Control received a phone called from a woman who said she was an acquaintance of Candace Berry, 66. Berry told the woman that animal control had impounded a number of her animals but did not inspect the basement, where additional dogs were housed at the time. Berry asked the acquaintance to help her by taking the dogs so animal control would not find them if they returned to her home for another inspection.

On Sept. 21, 2019, the acquaintance turned over 33 dogs to Howard County Animal Control, including a female Boston Terrier with three puppies. The Boston Terrier and the puppies were dogs that had been given to her by Berry. The puppies looked to be days old and were still nursing from the mother. The officer took possession of the dogs and brought them back to Howard County Animal Control. The Boston Terrier had skin, dental and other medical issues and were treated by the county’s veterinarian. This woman also advised animal control that Berry had another dog that recently had puppies remaining in the residence.

On Sept. 23, 2019, Howard County Animal Control obtained a search and seizure warrant for Berry and Hopple’s home in Woodbine. While in the residence, animal control located a black adult Labrador Retriever with eight puppies inside a dog enclosure. The small room that the dogs were in was hot and dirty with urine and feces built up. The dog and puppies had no water and the adult dog needed medical attention for an ulcerated mass and infected ears. Animal control impounded the dog and puppies and the dog received treatment by the county’s veterinarian.

Hopple and Berry will be sentenced on April 24 in Howard County District Court.