WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A woman has pleaded guilty following a large-scale animal cruelty investigation in Maryland that led to the seizure of dozens of dogs and cats from a Snow Hill property.
Authorities said Patricia Gadaleta was found guilty on May 21 of a theft plot and multiple counts of animal cruelty. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but 3.5 years suspended.
The investigation began on June 10, 2025, when the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation, and Worcester County Animal Control executed a search-and-seizure warrant at a home in Snow Hill.
Authorities said they found 57 dogs and nine cats confined in crates inside dark basements, garages, and sheds without air conditioning or proper ventilation.
Patricia Gadaleta was sentenced to prison after 57 dogs and 9 cats were found and recovered from the dark basements of a property in Snow Hill, Maryland, in 2025. (Worcester County Sheriff’s Office)
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Officials said many crates held multiple animals, forcing them to stand or lie on top of one another. Most were covered in urine and feces.
Animal control officers and deputies removed the animals as temperatures rose throughout the day.
After being taken to the county animal control facility, each animal was evaluated by a veterinarian. Many dogs required cooling measures to lower their body temperatures.
Veterinary exams found several medical concerns, including emaciation, broken teeth, skin conditions, untreated masses, infections, tick-borne diseases, intestinal parasites, and other serious conditions.
Some conditions were described as life-threatening or untreatable.
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Authorities said Humane World for Animals helped provide additional veterinary care, and 30 dogs were successfully rehomed.
Local shelters and humane societies helped care for the remaining animals available for adoption.
Investigators said Gadaleta bought and sold numerous dogs using multiple aliases and fraudulent methods.
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