Man pleads guilty to neglecting dogs

An Island man is not allowed to own a dog after pleading guilty in court Tuesday in Summerside to neglecting 10 dogs that were seized by the P.E.I. Humane Society last year. Kenneth Graham is also ordered to pay restitution for the costs of the seizure in the amount of $2,179.

The one exception to the court ruling is that Graham is still allowed to own two dogs that live in the owner’s home, dogs that showed no signs of neglect that would warrant seizure.

He must also pay a fine of $750 with a $250 surcharge. Last November, the humane society received an anonymous complaint from the public regarding unhealthy puppies that had been recently purchased from Graham.

The investigation found no puppies but nine adult females and one adult male hound dog who were immediately seized due to distress on Nov. 17, 2017, from Graham’s property. Animal protection officers with the humane society found the female dogs chained to the wall of a barn, living in unsanitary conditions with no light, food or water present. The dogs were malnourished, severely withdrawn and frightened.

“They needed extensive veterinarian care and rehabilitation,” stated a release from the humane society.

“The dogs’ rehabilitation in shelter was solely focused on how to practise normal dog behaviours such as walking or eating without fear.”

Unfortunately, the difficult decision had to be made to humanely euthanize five of the dogs who were showing no signs of improving and were continuing to suffer mentally. The other dogs – Snow White, Rapunzel, Mulan, Aurora and Tiana who showed some slow progress – were adopted with special care.