Chilton County Dog Trainer Again Found Guilty of Animal Cruelty Following Appeal
CHILTON COUNTY, Ala. – Cupid Seymour, a 50-year-old dog trainer and owner of Cupid’s Dog House in Verbena, Alabama, has been convicted of cruelty to animals for a second time, following an appeal of his initial conviction in April. A Chilton County jury delivered teh guilty verdict in October, according to District Attorney C.J. Robinson.
Seymour was originally sentenced in April to one year in the Chilton County jail and two years of probation, along with $3,500 in restitution and a $1,000 fine. The case stemmed from the death of Chloe,a four-month-old puppy who was boarded at Cupid’s Dog House for obedience training.
Karen Black, Chloe’s owner, enrolled her puppy in a course at Seymour’s facility, leaving her in his care for three weeks before being notified of the dog’s death. A subsequent necropsy revealed Chloe had no food in her digestive tract, and prosecutors presented witness testimony stating it would take three to five days without food for such a condition to develop.
Seymour appealed the initial conviction, leading to a retrial the week of October 20. Despite the appeal,the jury again found him guilty of cruelty to animals.
“I am grateful for the work of our prosecutors and law enforcement officers, who strive to protect those who cannot protect themselves, including the animals who are members of our families,” said Robinson. “Research shows a strong correlation between animal and human cruelty, with individuals who abuse animals being considerably more likely to commit violent crimes against people. We are committed to doing everything in our power to prevent both behaviors.”
Seymour is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13 at 8:30 a.m.
