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Suspect In Animal Cruelty Case Also Ran Parkville Rescue Group

PARKVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- A Maryland man is under arrest in a heartbreaking case of animal cruelty. Two dozen puppies and dogs were found in conditions so bad that some had to be put to sleep.

Kai Jackson explains the suspect was running an animal rescue group.

Baltimore County Police say what the suspect practiced regarding animals and what he preached were polar opposites.

The website looks legit and promotes itself as a nonprofit that rescues animals in kill shelters.

"An operator that called itself the Baltimore Animal Rescue Network," said Elise Armacost, Baltimore County Police.

But Baltimore County police and county animal control officers say B.A.R.N. as it's known was a fraud, and accuse its leader of not helping but abusing animals.

"The investigation showed that the conditions were just unsanitary. The dogs had very little room to move, they were crowded together and the conditions were just filthy," Armacost said.

On Thursday, police arrested Anthony Geer, 29, of Dorchester County. He was charged with 23 counts of animal cruelty.

Police say Geer kept animals in a home in Parkville in deplorable conditions.

Baltimore County Police tells Eyewitness News that investigators had been watching the suspect and his handling of the animals in question since October 2012.

B.A.R.N. has its own Facebook page. Police say 18 puppies and five dogs were seized on Jan. 14. Five of the puppies were in such bad shape they were immediately euthanized.

Geer is being held on $30,000 bail. Many of those dogs have now been taken into the custody of animal control, although it's not exactly clear at this time what has happened to all of them.

Geer is currently being held in Dorchester County.

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