Attorneys/Judges
| Defense(s): | Matthew Kuhn | | Judge(s): | Mary Falvey |
Images for this Case
Dog stolen, dragged behind bicycle
Canton, OH (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Aug 1, 2010
County: Stark
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 3 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Aaron Clinton Ryan
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A 27-year-old city man was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with animal cruelty after allegedly stealing and dragging a dog behind his bicycle along Tuscarawas Street W.
Aaron C. Ryan, of 812 Sixth St. NW, is charged with cruelty to a companion animal, a first-degree misdemeanor.
After finding Ryan at his home, detective Bill Adams transported him to the Police Department, where he was arrested on a warrant. He was taken to the Stark County Jail and held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
If convicted, Ryan could be fined up to $1,000 and jailed for up to six months. In 2009, Ryan was found guilty of two minor misdemeanor charges, failure to register dog(s) and no rabies vaccination.
Ryan confessed he stole the dog out of a backyard in the 3700 block of 21st Street SW in Canton Township, Adams said. Ryan also admitted to riding the bicycle while pulling the dog along the sidewalk on a busy section of Tuscarawas Street W near Dueber Avenue, Adams said.
Brenda Koch, 46, said Wednesday she owns the small black dog that was dragged. The dog was taken to the Stark County Humane Society.
"I cannot fathom why somebody would take a dog, any dog, not just a little dog, but any dog and drag him behind a bicycle for even 50 feet," Koch said.
After arriving home from work at about 7 p.m. Tuesday, Koch couldn't find her dog, Rascal. Koch said she walked the neighborhood until about 11 p.m. looking for the dog.
She resumed her search at about 7 a.m. Wednesday. Koch's parents later informed her that an article in The Repository included a photo of a dog that looked like Rascal.
The humane society is closed to the public Wednesdays. Koch, however, was allowed inside and visited Rascal. She plans on picking up her dog Thursday. The dog is a poodle and beagle mix and weighs 23 pounds, she said.
"I'm very, very happy that we have him back," Koch said. "He is a dog that is loved."
Koch plans to contact the Stark County Sheriff's Department about the theft of her dog.
DRAGGING THE DOG
Two women told The Repository on Tuesday they were driving on Tuscarawas Street when they saw a man dragging a dog behind a bicycle.
Cheryl Adkins, of Canton, yelled at the man and told him she was calling the police. He unhooked the dog's collar and rode off, she said. Adkins recognized Ryan from high school and identified him for police.
Following the arrest, Adams interviewed Ryan. "His story kind of went all over the place initially," Adams said.
Ryan told the officer he stole the dog because it looked like one he used to own. "He saw the dog tied up in the backyard ... he felt maybe he could take better care of this dog than the owner could," Adams said.
Ryan told police he "didn't realize initially he was dragging the dog," and that "he thought it was keeping up with him," Adams said.
"Then he noticed he was dragging the dog, but he didn't stop," Adams said.
DOG OWNER
Koch said she keeps her 4-year-old dog outside by himself sometimes. Rascal has a doghouse and access to food and water, she said. A landlord, who has a business attached to Koch's home, helps watch the dog. The dog also spends time indoors, Koch said.
On Wednesday, she said, the dog was securely on a leash in the backyard.
Koch got the dog when it was a puppy.
"He's loved, he gets treats, he gets toys, he gets fed twice a day," Koch said of Rascal.
Koch said her 7-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, was upset over the missing dog.
"I told Kaitlyn that God was watching out for him the whole time."
Case UpdatesA man convicted of dragging a dog behind his bicycle can't have pets for five years.
Aaron C. Ryan, 28, of 812 Sixth St. NW, pleaded no contest Thursday to a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to a companion animal.
Municipal Court Judge Mary Falvey found Ryan guilty and ordered him to spend 55 more days in jail, to be followed by two years of probation. Ryan has already served 65 days behind bars.
He also will have to pay restitution and get counseling, and can't have companion animals for five years.
Authorities charged Ryan in August after motorists saw him dragging a dog along Tuscarawas Street W near Dueber Avenue.
Ryan released the dog after witnesses yelled at him. Police arrested him the following day.
Police said Ryan admitted taking the dog �" a black poodle and beagle mix named Rascal �" from the backyard of a home in the 3700 block of 21st Street SW in Canton Township.
In court, defense attorney Matthew Kuhn said the injuries were accidental and Ryan feels badly for any distress he caused the dog's owner.
Ryan found the dog wandering in a street, couldn't find a tag for it and thought he could care for it at home, the defense attorney said.
"It was sort of a misguided effort to help the dog," Kuhn told the judge, noting that Ryan might have mental health or emotional issues.
After the hearing, Rascal's owner, Brenda Koch, said she still believes Ryan took the dog from her backyard and knew he was dragging it behind his bicycle.
"I do feel it was done on purpose," Koch said. "I don't think it was an accident."
Assistant City Prosecutor Katie Erchick credited the witnesses who stepped in and stopped Ryan.
Rascal still wears a cone to keep him from biting a wound on his right hind leg, Koch said.
She said she hopes counseling helps Ryan and that he doesn't harm any other animals: "Having it done to Rascal is enough." | Source: cantonrep.com - Oct 21, 2010
Update posted on Oct 21, 2010 - 11:22AM |
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