A Halethorpe woman charged with hundreds of counts of animal cruelty is facing additional charges. They come as Baltimore County considers policy changes to protect pets.

A grand jury this week indicted Kimberly Klein on nearly 170 animal cruelty charges related to the large number of dogs, cats, lizards and birds she was keeping at her home despite a judge’s ruling that she could no longer have contact with more than four animals.

Those are in addition to the 328 counts prosecutors charged her with a year ago, when animal control officers removed 82 animals from her home.

Klein faces the additional charges because of what happened following that first case. The judge had accepted an Alford plea for two counts of animal cruelty. The plea does not admit guilt but acknowledges the prosecutors have enough evidence to convict.

Advertise with us

The judge ordered probation and also a provision that allowed her to have a role in rehoming her former pets, despite the objections of shelter workers who had placed the animals in other homes.

Animal advocates have said that, while the court’s intention might have been benevolent, Klein having a role in the rehoming was bound to prove too great a temptation. Klein acknowledged in court and to The Banner in an email that she has hoarding issues and mental health challenges.

Read More

Animal control officers seize 13 dogs, plus birds and reptiles, from woman’s Halethorpe home

Klein sent friends and family to the shelter to “adopt” the animals, but they went back to her home, where neighbors witnessed Klein and her son unloading dogs and birds. Footage from neighbors allowed animal control officers and the Baltimore County Police Department to execute a warrant on her property and seize the animals Feb. 20.

Klein and her youngest son sobbed outside the home as animal control officers removed at least 13 dogs, several large birds and reptiles, and two cats. Klein has since relinquished her rights to those animals and the others that had been previously removed from her home. All of them have been rehomed, animal control officials have said.

Next week, Klein is scheduled to have a hearing about violating her probation by taking in the animals found in the February raid.

On April 6, Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier announced animal welfare reforms that county officials have said arose from this case. The County Council is scheduled to vote on the package early next month.