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CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #11349 Rating: 4.0 out of 5
Dog dragged behind vehicle
Whitehorse, YT (CA)Incident Date: Sunday, Feb 11, 2007
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Stanley Gostel
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Whitehorse man accused of dragging a husky-cross dog behind his truck for three kilometres pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of animal cruelty.
Appearing in court Tuesday morning, Stanley Gostel, 28, entered not guilty pleas on three counts of cruelty under the city's animal control bylaw.
The charges stemmed from an incident in early February, in which the husky-cross was allegedly dragged behind a truck halfway down Hamilton Boulevard in Whitehorse. At the time of the arrest, police said the dog had been tied to the bumper and dragged down to the intersection of Hamilton and the Alaska Highway.
The dog, which has been nicknamed Trooper, was then abandoned outside the Copper Road Veterinary Clinic, where it was found on Feb. 11 and brought to the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter. It had raw paws and large chunks of fur missing from its body. Police eventually tracked Gostel down and charged him.
The trial for Gostel, who has decided to represent himself in court, is scheduled to start June 21. If Gostel is convicted, city counsel Lori Lavoie said a court order will be sought to ban him from owning pets for two years.
Meanwhile, officials at the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter told CBC News on Tuesday that Trooper is doing very well considering the ordeal.
The dog's wounds have almost fully healed and it is slowly regaining its confidence around strangers.
Trooper will remain at the shelter until the court case ends, when bylaw officers can determine whether Trooper will be adopted out or returned to his owner.
Case UpdatesStanley Gostel was found guilty Thursday of breaking the city's Animal Control Bylaw by abandoning him.
With the court process concluded, it means his foster mom can now officially adopt him.
Trooper returns to his dog house after some attention from the visitors. He's not leaving the side of his new family when she comes home.
Asking not to be identified due to the court case, his new mom can't walk around the yard without Trooper following her wherever she goes.
"You're mine now," she tells him. "You get to stay."
Then, addressing the media, she states: "He's been like this since day one."
Thursday's court sentencing saw Gostel banned from owing a pet for two years.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of $250 as well as $2,022 in restitution to the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter for Trooper's veterinary expenses after he was turned over to the shelter.
Trooper was given his name by staff at the shelter after he was found two days after he had been dragged down part of Hamilton Boulevard and left in front of the shelter on a day when it was closed.
While it appears he may have gone by the name of Buddy prior to being brought to the shelter, his new mom says she's sticking with Trooper.
A new gate was put in for him at his mom's home.
It was when she saw Trooper's photo in the newspaper that she contacted the shelter about looking after the dog.
These days, his wounds continue to heal and aren't as evident until they're pointed out. The stitching is still in, with his new caregiver having to use a spray so they don't open.
He may also be making a trip to the vet soon to have the skin beneath the stitches stretched out to make it a little more comfortable for Trooper.
While some of the injuries aren't as obvious as they once were, it is noticeable when she's brushing him and accidentally comes to one of those spots.
Overall, his new mom says, he's a well-adjusted dog and she doesn't believe he was abused before being left in Marwell with his injuries.
"I think he panicked in a bad situation," she said of Gostel.
In a statement to bylaw officers that was presented at the trial yesterday, Gostel said he didn't know Trooper was tied to the truck at the time.
Believing the dog might not survive and not being able to pay the vet bill, Gostel drove down to the shelter and left him outside.
Watching Gostel in court, Trooper's new mom said she "almost felt bad" for him.
Now that the case is over though, she's looking forward to signing the adoption papers for her dog.
"This is a big day for me," she said. | Source: Whitehorse Star - June 22, 2007
Update posted on Jun 24, 2007 - 5:37PM |
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