Prince Frederick Couple Hit With 52 Animal Cruelty Charges After Dogs Seized

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — A Prince Frederick couple was charged with 52 counts after Calvert County Animal Control officers seized four dogs from a Mason Road property, according to court records.

Anthony Quinn Freeland, 53, and Iris Michele Freeland, 47, face identical charges filed in District Court for Calvert County. Records show summonses were issued Jan. 28, 2026.

The charges include multiple misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty for failure to provide proper care under Maryland law, along with county-level animal welfare violations involving shelter and bedding requirements, tethering standards, maintaining debris-free outdoor areas, and providing food and water in clean, secured receptacles.

An animal control officer first responded to the property on Jan. 5, 2026, after a complaint about the welfare of animals. The officer reported observing four dogs outdoors and documented concerns including inadequate access to water, shelters without bedding, and tethering that left some animals unable to move normally because of entanglement.

The dogs identified in the court records are Lucy, a Great Pyrenees–type dog; Picasso, a pit bull–type mix; Dominique, a Cane Corso–type mix; and Winter, a Great Pyrenees–type dog.

The officer reported Lucy was tethered without water or shelter at the time of the initial visit and later was found severely entangled around lawn equipment, restricting her movement. Picasso was described as chained with fencing material and other items tangled in his chain, with limited mobility and no bedding in his doghouse. Dominique was reported to have an unsecured water bucket that appeared to contain algae and no bedding in her shelter, and the officer noted concerns about her body condition. Winter was reported to have food on the ground that appeared to be mixed with or touching large shards of glass, along with an unsecured water container and a kennel shelter without bedding.

A compliance notice was issued giving the Freelands a deadline to correct conditions, including providing non-tip water sources, appropriate shelter and bedding, and debris-free outdoor areas. When animal control returned on Jan. 22, 2026, officers reported the conditions remained unsafe and seized all four dogs.

The dogs were taken to the Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter, where a veterinarian examined them and reported each had a filthy, unkempt coat. The veterinarian also reported medical findings requiring treatment, including a skin infection on Picasso’s neck, bilateral entropion affecting Dominique’s eyes, and a severe right-ear infection in Winter.

In a recorded phone call noted in the filing, Anthony Freeland told an officer he was trying to come into compliance and acknowledged debris on the property, including glass and metal, according to court records.

A preliminary inquiry hearing for both defendants is scheduled for March 23, 2026, at the Calvert District Court.

---