Charles County Animal Matters Hearing Board Meeting – November 4, 2025

The Charles County Animal Matters Hearing Board convened on November 4, 2025, to hear nine cases involving alleged animal control violations, including unlicensed breeding, dangerous/vicious animal determinations, and a barking dog complaint. The board reviewed evidence, heard sworn testimony from animal control officers and witnesses, and issued fines and orders. The meeting was recorded; all board decisions are final subject to Circuit Court review.

Consent Calendar

• The board unanimously approved the minutes from the previous meeting.

Case Hearings

Citation 7485 – Animal Control v. Lionel Walter Dade Jr.

• Officer Amanda Brown testified that on September 23, 2025, during a search warrant execution at 9935 Bunker Hill Road, she observed seven adult canines and three puppies. Owner Lionel Dade stated that his adult female Pit bull-type dog, Dior, had whelped a litter about seven weeks earlier. Dade had been previously advised in February 2025 of breeder license requirements. Brown provided license applications and free rabies clinic information; Dade had not applied for a breeder license.
• The board found Dade in violation of §230-10A (individual license, $50), §230-10C (commercial animal establishment breeding license, $250), and §230-9A (rabies, $150), for a total of $450. The case was referred to the State's Attorney for failure to appear.

Citation 7490 – Animal Control v. James C. Boykin

• Officer testimony described multiple complaints from the Charles County Animal Care Center about the Boykins repeatedly dropping off and reclaiming puppies, suggesting unlicensed breeding. On July 28, 2025, Erica Boykin refused access to the dogs; James Boykin later admitted owning three male and five female adult Pit bull-type canines in a breeding program. He was given 30 days to obtain a license but had not applied, stating he planned to continue breeding.
• The Boykins denied breeding and presented a rabies certificate for one dog, Smoky. Animal control noted hearing puppies and documented shelter records of puppies cycling through the shelter.
• The board found James Boykin not in violation of §230-10C (breeding license) but in violation of §230-9A for failing to provide proof of rabies vaccination, with a $250 fine. The vote was 3-1, with one dissenting board member.

Citations 7488 & 7489 – Animal Control v. Jericho Sage Shorba

• Officer Amanda Brown testified that on October 6, 2025, she investigated the October 4 killing of a cat owned by Robin Dressler at 7048 Oakland Drive. The cat's owner testified that two canines, later identified as Sage (husky-type female) and Turbo (shepherd-type male), chased her 16-year-old cat into the woods; the cat was found dead the next morning.
• Shorba admitted her dogs had escaped through fence gaps, said she had since patched the fence and used a temporary fence, and provided proof of current county licenses for both dogs.
• The board declared both Sage and Turbo potentially dangerous. For each, it imposed $50 for animal at large (§230-12) and $250 for potentially dangerous (§230-12.5), with a $0 fine on individual license (§230-10A). Of the $300 total per dog, $200 was held in abeyance for six months, making the immediate fine $100 per dog. All abatements except euthanasia (F) were ordered. Discussion noted concern that the fine was low for killing a cat.

Citation 7510 – Animal Control v. Kevin L. Reader

• Officer Myra Taman testified that on October 15, 2025, she responded to 303 Harvard Court, Waldorf, where a Cane Corso-type dog, Rocco, had jumped a fence and chased Susan Travers and her small dog. Video evidence showed the dog entering the yard on October 8 and 15.
• Travers testified that this was the third breach; she was recovering from an accident and feared for her service dog.
• Reader stated he did not know the dog had escaped, showed a new county license issued November 3, 2025, and said he was installing permanent fencing. He produced rabies certificates but they did not specify the animal.
• The board found Reader not in violation of §230-10A (license) and §230-9A (rabies) with $0 fines, but in violation of §230-12 (animal at large) with a $50 fine and §230-12.5 with a $300 fine, the entire $300 held in abeyance for one year. Rocco was declared potentially dangerous, with all abatements except F.

Citations 7532, 7533, 7534 – Animal Control v. David Anthony Downing

• Officer Cheyenne Bureau testified that on October 22, 2025, three unleashed Pit bull-type dogs killed a 13-pound Shih Tzu, LJ, owned by Mural Good, near her home at 3039 October Place, Waldorf. One dog, Quay, was still at large on arrival and was captured with a net. The three dogs, Quay, Money, and King, were impounded. Each citation alleged individual license, running at large, rabies vaccination, and dangerous/vicious.
• Mural Good, the victim's owner, gave emotional testimony describing the attack and the death of her 10-year-old companion. She said the owner told her he could only control one dog at a time.
• Downing admitted the dogs were unleashed, apologized, and acknowledged negligence. He stated he intended to surrender all three dogs for euthanasia. The board held a closed session for legal advice. Upon return, Downing signed owner surrender paperwork for all three dogs (profile numbers 35501, 35502, 35503).
• The board then voted unanimously to dismiss all three citations because the dogs had been surrendered. The dogs were to be euthanized.

Citations 7535 & 7537 – Animal Control v. Sontria Lamira Burns

• Officer Maggie Hayes testified that on October 21, 2025, she found about 15 dead chickens at 7066 Strawberry Drive, Bryansford, with two Pit bull-type dogs, Star (adult female) and Switch (juvenile), nearby. Both were impounded. Burns later claimed ownership and was issued citations for both dogs: individual license, running at large, rabies, and dangerous/vicious.
• Burns testified she was not home when the dog opened the door; she has since added an automatic lock and reinforced the fence. She said Star was not dangerous and had rabies but no license. She chose to surrender Switch for humane euthanasia and reclaim Star.
• For Star, the board found violations of §230-10A ($50), §230-12 ($50), §230-9A ($0), and §230-12.5 ($150), total $250, all held in abeyance for three months. Star was declared potentially dangerous, all abatements except F ordered, and Burns must pay the $290 reclaim fee by noon the next day.
• For Switch, the board dismissed citation 7537 because the dog had been surrendered.

Citations 7539 & 7540 – Animal Control v. James Thomas Green

• Officer testimony and witness Stacy Selinski described an October 29, 2025, incident where two dogs, Brutus (Cane Corso-type) and Rabbit (terrier mix), attacked her poultry, injuring a goose and killing two chickens. Selinski climbed onto her car for safety until animal control arrived.
• Green stated his daughter took the dogs out and they ran off. He had a license for Brutus but not Rabbit; he said Brutus had rabies vaccinations but he could not find the paperwork.
• The board found both dogs potentially dangerous. For each dog, it imposed $50 (license), $50 (animal at large), $150 (rabies), and $150 (dangerous/vicious), totaling $400, with $300 held in abeyance for four months. Each citation required a $170 reclaim fee. All abatements except F were ordered.

Citation 7551 – Animal Control v. Ruth Gaiman Hepler

• Officer testimony concerned an October 22, 2025, attack in which Misty, a female Labrador cross owned by Ruth Gaiman Hepler, crossed the street and bit neighbor Don Murphy Marshall's dog, Emma, on Emma's own property. Emma was injured and treated by a vet.
• Murphy Marshall testified she saw the neighbor dog exiting her yard; her dog required emergency care.
• Gaiman Hepler and her husband testified that Misty had never done this before, and they obtained an electronic fence and a county license after the incident.
• The board found not in violation on the license charge (§230-10A, $0), but in violation of animal at large (§230-12, $50) and potentially dangerous (§230-12.5, $50), total $100, no abeyance. Misty was declared potentially dangerous, with all abatements except F.

File 25-17 – Lockerman v. Hunt & Maurer

• Complainant Michael Lockerman testified that his neighbors' dog, Willow, had barked excessively for over three years, disturbing his use of his yard and his wife's sleep, despite anti-bark collars. He said the situation had improved since the hearing was filed.
• Respondent Marsha Maurer said Willow came to them in June 2022 as a 7½-year-old barking dog. She described using bark collars (beep/vibrate only, never shock) but removing them due to neck sores. She said the dogs are now more closely managed and signs around the house remind them to remove collars.
• The board found respondent Hunt in violation of §12.4.8.6 (barking/noise nuisance) and imposed a $50 fine.

Key Outcomes

• The board issued fines ranging from $50 to $450, with several fines fully or partially held in abeyance pending compliance.
• Citations 7532, 7533, 7534, and 7537 were dismissed after the dogs were surrendered to the Charles County Animal Care Center.
• Citation 7490's breeding license charge was dismissed; only the rabies violation fine remained.
• Dogs declared potentially dangerous (Shorba's two dogs, Reader's Rocco, Burns' Star, Green's Brutus and Rabbit, and Hepler's Misty) must comply with all abatement requirements except euthanasia, and are subject to Animal Control inspections.
• The board held a closed session with legal counsel during the Downing case.
• The meeting adjourned after all cases were heard.