WASHINGTON — A Montgomery County woman was sentenced Friday after earlier this year, officials found 66 dogs in her house living in filthy conditions.
Montgomery County District Court Judge William Simmons sentenced Katherine Ting Tiong, a 47-year-old of Rockville, Maryland, to 16.5 years in jail with all but 180 days suspended. Tiong also was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, undergo three years of supervised probation with mental health services and is not allowed to have pets during that time.
“Ms. Ting Tiong will have 180 days behind bars to think about what she has done. Cruelty to animals will not stand in our county. Pets have no one to stand up for them, today justice was served, because Animal Control stepped up on behalf of these poor creatures,” Ramon Korionoff, public affairs director for the State’s Attorney’s Office, said in a news release.
On Jan. 1, Montgomery County Animal Services officers found dozens of animals living in unhealthy conditions in her home in the 13000 block of Glen Mill Road in Rockville. Many of the animals were standing on top of one another in dirty, cramped conditions, according to Jack Breckenridge, investigator for Montgomery County Police’s Animal Services Division.
Many of the dogs were found with matted coats and left in urine-soaked crates.
The conditions left many of the animal services staffers gagging as they removed animals from the home.
Tiong told investigators that she was running a dog rescue called Forever Homes Animal Shelter, Inc. and she claimed the dogs were picked up from various kill shelters.
Tiong was charged and convicted on 66 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.
The good news is that many of the dogs from the “Rockville 66” group have found loving homes.
The family of one of the dogs, Mikayla, told the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center that “from the beginning, it was instant love. She has these incredible soulful eyes that are irresistible. She has yet to meet anyone that doesn’t instantly fall in love with her.”
Some of the dogs’ new families are working to overcome some of the harsh conditions that affected the pets.
Coal, formerly Gunther, told that MCASAC that he “still startles at sudden movements and unexpected noises.”
Three of the “Rockville 66” dogs are still looking for homes. For more information on how to adopt one of the final dogs, or any other adoptable pet, call 240-773-5900.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
