A Grim Discovery As Animal Remains Found Dumped Next To Pet Cemetery

Howard County police are investigating animal remains found in plastic bags and dumped next to a pet cemetery.

A worker excavating a wooded area along the 7300 block of Washington Boulevard in Elkridge noticed the bags and called police on Tuesday.

"It's upsetting certainly to find something like this and upsetting to people who have pets, have animals, and love them and hate to think that something like this could happen," police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said.

The wooded area where the animal remains were found is next to the Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park, which has been closed for about 15 years. William Anthony Green, its former owner, faced charges of deceptive trade practices and theft for improperly disposing of animal remains in 1997. Police believe Green is responsible for the discovery this week.

"Until now, it's been a very wooded area," Llewellyn said. "We suspect that the animals were improperly dumped in the woods during the '90s and maybe even before that. Now that they've cleared that area, these remains have turned up."

Llewellyn said investigators expect to close the investigation soon and don't expect to file charges since Green has passed away.

"This was upsetting to those of us who were involved in the case and certainly to people who love animals," Llewellyn said. "In this particular situation, we don't have someone to charge because we believe that person was charged and is since deceased."

Police are working to collect the remains and bury them in the pet cemetery.

"We're doing our best to work with the volunteer society that now maintains that pet cemetery to see if there are remains that can be salvaged that they be moved and properly buried on their property," Llewellyn said.

Investigators say it's hard to know how many bags are in the wooded area since it's already been excavated and is covered in deep mud.