Authorities have filed criminal charges against the owner of a farm in Upper Marlboro, accusing him of failing to provide adequate food, water, or veterinary care for his herd of 40 zebras.
Jerry Lee Holly, 76, of the 13200 block of Duley Station Road, is charged with three counts of animal cruelty.
The criminal case dates back to August 26, of this year, when the Prince George's County Animal Services Division was made aware of three zebras that had escaped from Holly's 300-acre farm. Animal services officers spoke with the farm's animal caretaker, Charles Gwynn, by telephone. Gwynn promised to gather a count of the zebra herd, plus check the farm's fence line for any integrity issues. Gwynn is not presently charged in the case.
Animal services officers also spoke with Holly who, was aware of the three runaway zebras, but "had no plan to recapture the zebras at that time," court documents allege.
Authorities stressed that more than 50 days have passed since the zebras first escaped, and little progress has been made to recapture them.
"The zebras at large pose a threat to the community [as] they continue to wander through communities, railroad, and public roads," authorities alleged. "The zebras are also at risk, as evidenced by the death of one of the zebras at large."
The crux of the criminal case takes issue with one of the three on-the-loose zebras dying in a snare trap. Authorities noted that while the zebra was found off Holly's property, it was within two feet of the fence line of his main zebra paddock.
"The animal should have been seen or heard while it was dying from being caught in the snare if the caretaker had attended to the zebras in the fenced enclosure, and most likely died of dehydration after a period of a few days struggling in the trap," authorities opined. "However, by the time that DNR responded, on September 16th, the animal was completely decomposed and so the cause of death could not be specifically determined."
On Tuesday, October 19, a local news helicopter spotted what appeared to be a dead zebra in an enclosure on Holly's farm. The news agency contacted authorities, which responded to the farm and found the zebra deceased and in the rigor-mortis stage. Farm staffers were unable to provide investigators with a cause of death.
Beyond the alleged animal neglect, authorities contend the at-large zebras have become a nuisance to county residents and pose a threat to community health, safety, and welfare. Officials emphasized that zebras are prone to bite or kick if cornered. They also warned drivers around Holly's farm to remain vigilant.
"The zebras at large are a public nuisance," court documents detailed. "The media coverage surrounding the zebras has brought traffic and trespassers to surrounding homes. The animals are dangerous and serve a risk to persons approaching them, and a risk to drivers on the public roadways."
The Prince George's County Department of Environment said it has inspected Holly's property every two to three business days since the zebras first escaped in August, and will continue to do so. Those visits also involve monitoring the 36 surviving zebras' health and safety, county officials stated.
Despite the pending criminal case, Prince George's County explained it is not currently planning to seize the zebras that remain in Holly's care. Officials, however, noted they are "exploring all options" and are communicating with animal sanctuaries should circumstances change.
On Wednesday afternoon, Prince George's County Public Works arrived at Holly's property. The crew, which had a backhoe, told 7News it was sent there to help remove the deceased zebra. The African equines can weigh between 400 and 1,000 pounds.
7News called a phone number listed for Holly in court documents and left a voice message seeking comment but had not received a reply at the time this story was published. No defense attorney is listed in court records.
Authorities issued Holly a court summons. In other words, he was not arrested but rather ordered to appear in court on a future date. The 76-year-old exotic animal owner faces up to 270 days in jail and up to $3,000 in fines.
Authorities are actively looking to collaborate with zebra experts to devise a humane method of capturing the two at-large zebras and returning them to their herd.
"The County's Animal Control Officers are committed to protecting the community and the zebras, and we continue to be hopeful that the animals at large can be safely returned to the herd," wrote Andrea Crooms, the county's director of the Department of the Environment, which oversees animal services.