Failure to Provide for Dog - Chesapeake, VA

Thursday, Apr 29, 2004

County: Chesapeake City

Disposition: Dismissed

Person of Interest: Kenneth Speller

On April 29, 2004 ACO Sockman found 4 pitbulls chained in the woods in the 200 block of Ballahack Rd.  All 4 were confiscated for lack of adequate care.  One dog, a black female bore a rabies tag which came back to Kenneth Speller, BM, 39 years old.  Mr. Speller had previously been conficted in Norfolk, Virginia in 2003 of failing to provide for dogs and was under a court order not to own or possess companion animals.  ACO Sockman  charged Speller with failing to provide for this female pit bull.  ACO Sockman also petitioned the court for custody of all 4 of the dogs. 

When ACO Sockman went to Norfolk on 5/5/04, along with a Norfolk ACO to serve the notice of the custody hearing to Mr. Speller, the officers found 3 pit bulls at the residence in the 900 block of Hannah Street in Norfolk.  All had injuries consistent with bite wounds.  The officers also found break sticks.  Officers seized the 3 dogs, and Officer Sockman posted notice of the custody hearing.

On 5/7/04 Norfolk Police and Animal Control executed a search warrant at the Speller home.  They found evidence of dog fighting.  Speller, his wife and a third female were charged with felony dogfighting. 

On May 20, 2004 Chesapeake General District Court Criminal Division awarded custody of all 4 of the dogs from Ballahack Road in Chesapeake to Animal Control.  Mr. Speller testified that he did not own the black female pit bull, in spite of the rabies tag in his name.  He stated he had given the dog away.  The charge for failure to provide was dismissed.

Mr. Spellers other charges are still pending.

References

• Chesapeake Animal Control
• Chesapeake General District Court
• Norfolk Division of Animal Protection

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