Seventy-seven cats were pulled from a home in Newburg, Maryland, after Charles County Animal Control found them living in filthy, stacked pet carriers with no clean water. One cat was suffering so badly that it had to be euthanized. Now the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office has the power to make sure this case ends with real accountability.

Robert McLain Brown, 67, faces 233 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and failure to provide proper care. According to Animal Control, the smell of ammonia reached the road. Inside, carriers were soaked in urine and waste, some holding more than one cat. Maggots crawled in the cages. Hazmat crews were called in because the air inside was dangerous to breathe.

Veterinarians found most of the rescued cats underweight and dehydrated. Many had respiratory infections, broken or diseased teeth, eye ulcers, and nails grown into their paw pads. Some had chemical burns on their skin from sitting in urine for so long. Investigators believe this suffering began well before their ten-day investigation.

Brown has not been convicted, and he is due in Charles County District Court on December 7. Without a strong outcome, nothing stops new animals from ending up in the same conditions.

The Charles County State’s Attorney should prosecute every count to the fullest extent of Maryland law. If Brown is convicted, prosecutors should ask the court to ban him from owning or caring for animals and to require a mental health evaluation, so this never happens again.

Sign the petition to demand justice for these 77 cats before the December 7 hearing.