SALISBURY, Md.- A woman who operated a puppy mill in Eden, Md., will serve 60 days behind bars after pleading guilty Monday to 26 animal cruelty-related charges.
70-year-old Susan Murphy appeared in Wicomico County Circuit Court where she was also sentenced to 10 months home detention followed by three years of supervised probation.
Murphy's guilty plea comes after more than 300 small dogs, the majority of which were Pomeranians, were found living in horrific conditions at Murphy's home back in 2016.
"I just couldn't believe something like that would happen down here," Neighbor Ross Poole said.
Murphy's husband was also indicted with her in 2017. Since then he has had a stroke and will stay in a nursing home.
Neighbor Crystal Meadows says the conclusion to this case is long overdue.
"Those poor animals, they were just, it's hurtful to see the animals in the conditions they were in," Meadows said.
Murphy said in court Monday that she could not be more sorry and that she was abused by her husband, which affected her care of the dogs.
The Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office read out the deplorable conditions the dogs were found in, including lack of space and mounds of feces all around the property, which some of the dogs had been sitting in for months.
"We can't say we're happy, because we don't want to be happy in these circumstances because those dogs were living in absolutely deplorable conditions," Deputy State's Attorney Bill McDermott said.
The judge said the sentencing took into account Murphy's physical and mental health conditions.
Murphy will be able to keep the chickens, birds and cats she owns, as long as they are not able to reproduce. But she will not be able to care for any new animals.
"As hard as that 60 days might be on her, unlike the dogs that she mistreated, she will have adequate space, she's going to have adequate food, adequate water, and adequate medical attention. Something she did not give her dogs," McDermott said.
Murphy will be required to report to jail next Monday.