Neglect of 16 German Shepherds
Salem, NH (US)Date: Aug 31, 1993
Disposition: Convicted
Abuser/Suspect: James Koh
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James Koh (age 59) of Belmont, MA and Salem, NH pled guilty to 15 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and was fined $9.000 in veterinary expenses.
In exchange for the guilty plea, Koh will not have to serve jail time, but he will spend a year behind bars if he ever owns another animal.
On August 31st authorities removed 16 German Shepherd dogs from a barn on Koh�s property. At the time Salem Police Capt. John Boudreau, who was at the barn when the dogs were removed called the situation sickening. This situation was beyond animal cruelty he said.
Ten dogs were found in small cages and were standing in at least two feet of excrement. Two dogs had to be put to sleep. The others were taken into custody and eventually adopted. One that was put down was infested with maggots and most had eye and ear infections.
A veterinarian estimated some of the dogs, which Koh had a license to breed, had been in the cages about a year.
Koh's lawyer had rejected a plea agreement that would have included jail time.
Koh has been in trouble before in Belmont, MA for mistreatment of dogs dating back to the 1970's. Salem investigators went to Belmont to examine records of at least a decade of fines and attempts by officials there to address the health hazard posed by large amounts of dog excrement in the garage of the home on Bay State Rd.
Koh then moved the dogs to Duxbury; he had no problems at first because the property bordered on conservation land. Then the neighbors began to complain that his dogs barked too much. In 1991, Koh moved to a 20-acre home in Salem, NH.
Koh paid thousands of dollars for the very dogs he abused. Koh divided his time among homes in Salem, NH and Belmont, MA and the Walk Hill Market, a business he owns in Boston. The case came to light from a tip that Koh was never at home in Salem and the dogs were left neglected.
References | The Boston Globe |
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