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Pocono News Section
Kennel Owner Found Guilty of Cruelty After Fire
Kennel Owner Found Guilty of Cruelty After Fire - Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 5:55PM EST
Reported by: Eric Deabill
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008 @ 05:55pm EST
FRACKVILLE, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY- Guilty. That's the decision in a high-profile animal cruelty case in Schuylkill County. It involves seven beagles which were left out in hot weather last month after a devastating kennel fire.
John Yagielinskie walked into a district judge's office in Frackville Tuesday facing animal cruelty charges. He walked out guilty. “I just feel the charges are totally, totally unfounded,” he told Eyewitness News.
Officials from the Hillside SPCA filed charges after they took pictures of seven beagles locked in a trailer on a 90-degree day in early June. They said the conditions were cramped, there was no water, and three of the dogs were fighting.
Barbara Umlauf of the Hillside SPCA said, “The vehicle was made to transport animals, not to house them."
Paul Thompson of Kentucky owns the trailer. He showed it off to eyewitness news. He volunteered the trailer to Yagielinskie after he heard his kennel burned down.
He says the dogs were comfortable and maintains they were not abused.
“I've been all over the world, England, Ireland and this is the first problem I've ever had in my life, in over 30 years," said Thompson.
“That particular day was the only day that I left that house, that the trailer didn't go with me, because we were treating the dogs with SAVIN medicine, because they did have severe burns," said Yagielinskie.
Because he was found guilty Yagielinskie will have to pay a $300 fine and court costs, a total of $434. But he says the notion that he would hurt his beagles has cost him more.
“I knew what they were going to do before they knew what they were going to do, because I've seen their parents and grandparents. It’s not like I was breeding them and selling them everyday," he added.
“There were many options open to Mr. Y. Friends could have watched the dogs. We have an emergency team that could have helped him. I wish he would have done that," said Umlauf.
A lawyer for the beagle breeder vows to appeal the guilty decision. He says he's confident the case will be over overturned in county court. | | |
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