AUBURN, California (KGO) — A former San Francisco man and his business partner are now charged with felony charges related to the injuries and disappearances of pets left behind at their dog training company. The additional cost comes as the state legislature considers final approval of a bill that would impose some regulation on the unregulated dog training industry.
Antoine Deshaun Moore is charged with six charges of animal cruelty and six charges of obtaining money or property under false pretenses.
Authorities say families paid him to train their dogs, but he left them covered in feces and urine. Those families say some of the dogs in his care became seriously ill, died or disappeared.
RELATED: Dog owners blame pet deaths, dog trainer disappearances in Northern California
Court records show that his business partner, Sean Murray, is also facing six fraud cases in this Placer County case.
Both men are being charged in connection with their company Auburn K9.
A judge recently ordered Moore not to have any contact with dogs while he awaits his trial.
RELATED: Bill To Protect Dog Families And Pets From Unqualified Trainers Passes Assembly Committee
That’s good news for Jason Doolittle, who paid Auburn K9 to care for his dog Liberty.
“He can’t harm animals anymore, or at least it will prevent him from harming any more animals. I’m happy about that,” he said.
Doolittle said Liberty came back aggressively.
Megan Badger hasn’t seen her dog Winston since leaving him in Moore’s care a few months ago.
RELATED: Families recall lost pets amid renewed calls for regulation of the dog training industry
The trainer claims that Winston bit him in San Francisco and ran away.
Badger suspects that Moore sold Winston or, worse, that Winston died in his care.
“He has blatantly shown that he will lie and not regret. Dogs have been snatched from his home in appalling conditions and he is downplaying it,” Badger said.
Records obtained by 7 On Your Side under the Public Records Act of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office describe conditions at Moore’s house where he kept dogs as “deplorable” and noted “a foul odor that appeared to be from excessive dog feces.” Officers found a dog “almost covered in feces from head to tail.”
RELATED: Bay Area Dog Trainer Convicted of 4 Animal Abuse Crimes
Doolittle says Liberty became seriously ill while in Moore’s care with an intestinal infection caused by eating feces.
Nevada County charged Moore with three offenses for animal cruelty and another for operating a kennel without a license.
Court records indicate that these charges will be combined with the charges he faces in Placer County and prosecuted together.
RELATED: Dogs Would Get Protection in California Under New Dog Trainer Bill
Meanwhile, the state Senate is expected to hold a final vote this week on a bill, AB-1901, inspired by 7 On Your Side’s coverage of the dog training industry.
That bill, from Councilman Adrin Nazarian (D – Hollywood Hills), requires dog trainers to disclose whether they have any civil charges related to the service or animal cruelty convictions.
However, the bill was amended to include the trainer’s obligation to disclose their training methods, such as using a shock collar, due to opposition from the governor’s office.
“I thought it was important for us to take a step to make sure we protect both dog owners and their dogs,” Nazarian said.
7 On Your Side obviously keeps an eye on the bill. We did contact Moore and his attorney, but they didn’t call us back.
Watch more stories and videos from Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.
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