On December 16, 2019, Luz Esther Green, of Crumpton Maryland, was found guilty on six counts of Animal Cruelty and Failure to Provide Proper Care. Officer Derrick Leonard with Queen Anne’s County Animal Control, led the investigation into Ms. Green when a report was made on January 17, 2019, from a concerned citizen. Officer Leonard responded to Ms. Green’s property, where he found two German Shepherds and a Pitbull in outdoor enclosures that contained a large amount of feces, urine, snow and debris. The enclosures lacked a roof or any dry area for the dogs to escape for warmth or protection from the mid-January weather.

One of the defendant’s own witnesses testified at trial that the dogs had not been removed from their enclosures in about a month and the State’s expert witness highlighted the fact that the defendant used buckets attached to ropes to feed and water the dogs so that she did not have to expose herself to the same environment she kept her own dogs in.

Assistant State’s Attorney, Chelsea Endzel, prosecuted the case in district court where Green was found Guilty.  Green subsequently appealed the District Court conviction to the Circuit court and was again found guilty after a two-day jury trial. The State requested the maximum sentence allowed by the statute and Ms. Green was sentenced to 270 days in jail, which was suspended, and 5 years of probation. While on probation, Ms. Green is banned from owning animals or having animals on her property, and is required to complete mental health and substance abuse treatment. Ms. Green has been charged with citations relating to Animals on 11 prior occasions and has been convicted of Animal Cruelty/ Neglect on 3 prior occasions.