Owner of former Connecticut dog training, boarding facility pleads guilty to animal cruelty, avoids prison – Hartford Courant

The operator of a previous Connecticut dog education and boarding facility has obtained a 6-month suspended jail sentence following pleading responsible to animal cruelty, court docket records exhibit.

In addition, Thomas Hunt Jr., of Naugatuck, obtained a 12 months of probation, documents exhibit.

Hunt pleaded responsible Thursday to one particular count of animal cruelty at Remarkable Court in New Haven, courtroom records show. He was originally charged with two counts of animal cruelty.

His lawyer, Sally Pruitt, did not return a phone for comment.

An arrest warrant affidavit in the case states the cruelty relates to alleged extraordinary excess weight reduction of two puppies that was found out by Woodbridge Regional Animal Command soon after the similar two pet dogs in Hunt’s treatment “mauled and killed” a mini-schnauzer, in accordance to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Hunt, 56, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty at his previous Eagle K-9 Academy facility, 809 Carrington Street, Bethany, information demonstrate.

In addition to the legal prices, the condition Animal Handle inspections in the previous yr have cited alleged safety and sanitary violations at Eagle K-9 Academy.

The issue of the Cane Corso canine — a single known as “emaciated” in the warrant affidavit — was brought to the focus of Woodbridge Regional Animal Command immediately after Hunt described by telephone on April 8 that the canine experienced “mauled and killed” the mini schnauzer.

Hunt instructed animal manage the assault occurred just after an personnel “failed to protected a latch,” according to a warrant authored by Animal Command Officer Karen Lombardi.

The Cane Corso canines that attacked — 1 a male, a single a feminine — were brought to the Woodbridge animal management facility for quarantine and were being observed to be “extremely underweight,” the warrant affidavit states.

Lombardi wrote in the warrant affidavit: “It is by means of my education and abilities that I know that it is a training tactic to deprive meals to the animal in an endeavor to use foods as a reward.”

The warrant paperwork the bodyweight worries in element.

The 4-yr-previous maleweighed 87.3 lbs, although veterinary paperwork showed that about two months before it weighed 130 lbs ., in accordance to the warrant.

The other, a a few-yr-previous feminine, weighed 88.7 kilos, and documents from two months earlier showed she weighed 98 kilos, according to the warrant.

The warrant states that on April 12, Lombardi, alongside with condition Animal handle Officer Charles DellaRocco interviewed the proprietor of the canines, a North Haven gentleman who told them he dropped the dogs off for boarding since he was going by way of a divorce and wanted a spot for them although likely as a result of the transition.

The proprietor advised animal management officers that he dropped the canine off in December 2021 in “good health,” but now they looked “malnourished and skin and bones,” the warrant states.

On April 12, the puppies had been taken to Animal Clinic of Milford, and examined by a veterinarian who verified the canine were being underweight, with Moose’s “spine and ribs” notable on a visible examination, according to the warrant affidavit.

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Hunt instructed investigators he was feeding the canines “six cups of foods a working day,” the warrant states.

Before long following the investigation was underway the facility on Carrington Street was renamed, Perfection with Affection K-9 Academy. The standing of the new company pursuing Hunt’s conviction could not be established.

The “team” at Perfection with Passion is mentioned as Thomas Hunt Sr., “a qualified learn coach and graduated from the U.S. K9 Academy close to 30 several years ago,” as nicely as Thomas Hunt Jr., described as, “a licensed grasp coach and started coaching puppies at a younger age. He is a graduate of the U.S. K9 Academy. Thomas Jr. also served four several years in the United States Marine Corps.”

A message From Thomas Hunt Jr. on the web site states: “When you say a doggy is a man’s most effective mate, that is our best intention. Seeing the transformation from a wild puppy dog to a properly-behaved and happy doggy is amazing and what retains us going in this article.”

In the past year Eagle K-9 Academy received at the very least just one warning from the state’s Department of Animal Control Device pursuing inspection, and inspections showed alleged violations, in accordance to data received by the Freedom of Data act.

Alleged violations have bundled: feces and urine in the operates and kennels, a puddle of urine in the foyer, no mechanical air flow, inadequate drainage, aged fencing with no leading, particularly filthy enthusiast and ceiling, absence of repairs that could result in harm, mouse feces near a kitchen area sink place. A single report said that 5 of nine canines ended up not up to day with rabies shots and eight of 9 didn’t have licenses.