Horse trainer acquitted in animal abuse case

Ahorse trainer from Westbury alledged to have injured a horse and cause it to suffer was acquirred due to a lack of evidence, in a Sherbrooke court.

Court of Quebec Justice Conrad Chapdelaine rendered the decision favouring Daniel Dolbec on Tuesday.

Chapdelaine accepted Dolbec’s version of events staing that he was working to adjust the shoe of a horse with a hammer, his usual tool, when two horses charged each other in July 2016. He picked up a pitchfork with plastic tips that he used to remove manure, in order to separate them and to protect both himself and the horses.

"Daniel Dolbec provided a detailed version of the events, Chapdelaine said.”he described his actions why he did them. He gave a frank, honest and spontaneous testimony. The court believes him and he deserves to be believed," Chapdelaine also pointed out Dolbec’s openness in inviting inspectors of the Spa-estrie to investigate his home without him being present.

Chapdelaine stated that the evidence for the prosecution was based entirely on the testimony of a single eyewitness, a nine-year-old girl, frightened by the scene where two horses were charging.

Dolbec lamented ‘the damage that such accusations have had on my life and my career. The reputation I put 32 years to build in the field of horses was destroyed. For me, horses are not just a job, but a passion," he said.

Dolbec testified that he was not only subjected to personal harm, but that his children were also bullied at school after the charges were laid.

"It's unbelievable that this affair has gone so far. I've come to doubt myself, about everything I've accomplished over the past 30 years," he added,

Dolbec’s lawyer, Julie Beauchemin said Dolbec is considering pusuing a civil case in the affair.