Animal Cruelty Charges Filed Against Animal Rescuers

ROCKVILLE, MD — About 40 animals were taken from a feces-filled Rockville area home and the couple operating a rescue group from their house face animal cruelty charges.

Montgomery County Animal Control Services officers executed a warrant July 27 at the Grandby Road home of Merle and Susan Uskievich, founders of Alpha Group Animal Rescue. A Facebook page for the Uskievich’s group calls itself a rescue shelter and adoption service for homeless kittens.

According to online court records, Merle Uskievich, 69, is charged with seven counts of animal cruelty, while Susan Uskievich, 67, faces three charges of animal cruelty.

When animal control officers went to the Uskievich home, they found it was filled with items, leaving paths less than one-foot-wide to walk through, while several rooms were completely inaccessible without climbing through solid waste, investigators said.

Officers found two dogs and 28 cats throughout the home, plus chickens in cages outside. WJLA reports that the county has condemned the house.

One 13-week-old kitten was euthanized because of poor health caused by flea infestation, WTOP reports.

»SEE ALSO: 66 Dogs Seized from Rockville Home After Bite Report

Several more kittens were obtained after the search and seizure warrant was executed, leading animal control officers to believe that the Uskieviches are still working with shelters who are unaware of the situation.

“Rescue organizations play such an important role in placing lost, abandoned and unwanted animals; however, situations like this one … serve as a 'black eye' to those rescues committed to doing what’s best for the animals in their care,” Tom Koenig, director of Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center, told Montgomery Community Media.

The animals are being treated and cared for at the county shelter in Derwood and most of them will be made available for adoption in the coming weeks.

Shelter officials said the couple is trying to have some of the animals returned to them; a judge must decide that request.

Animal welfare groups sending animals to Alpha Group Animal Rescue are asked to call the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center at 240-773-5900, ext. 7.

»Photos of kittens rescued from Rockville house, courtesy of Montgomery County Animal Services