Dog trainer charged with cruelty
Chicago, IL (US)Incident Date: Friday, Jul 14, 2006
County: Cook
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Acquitted
Person of Interest: Ami Moore
Case Updates: 5 update(s) available
Dog trainer Ami Moore, 47, faced two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty for allegedly misusing shock collars when she trained dogs.
The charges were dismissed Oct 18, but a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney said the office planned to refile them.
"Various people from the community where she trains dogs were calling to complain she was abusing the dogs," said Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.
Moore, whose Lake Forest-based business is called Doggie Do Right 911, states on her Web site that as a dog whisperer she "uses a system of touch and tone . . . to connect with the dog."
Yet, the site also says Moore has "pioneered the use of electric dog training equipment."
According to prosecutors, Moore used multiple shock collars on "very young dogs," Simonton said.
"In one instance, she had three shock collars on one dog. One was near the genital area of the dog."
Moore denies the charges, saying she is the target of a smear campaign by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and a rival trainer because she is African American.
"The allegations are false. The fuel for them is racial," Moore said.
Shortly after Moore's arrest, PETA put out a statement calling her alleged acts "downright appalling."
"I don't even know this person's ethnicity. . . . We have received numerous calls from people who have had unpleasant experiences with her," said PETA caseworker Stephanie Bell.
Moore was arrested July 14 at her training facility at 1041 W. Madison, police said.
At a court hearing Wednesday, charges were dismissed because the arresting officer did not appear. Judge Luckman granted a motion by Moore's lawyer, Edward Richman, to have the charges dismissed after prosecutors said the lead arresting officer in the case had since left the Police Department and moved to Colorado.
Another officer in Moore's arrest was in Felony Court, prosecutors said.
Case UpdatesA Chicago dog trainer who was charged with animal cruelty has been found not guilty.
The charges against Ami Moore were filed after several pet owners claimed that they witnessed dogs yelping in pain from shock collars. Two testified at the trial.
In court November 16, Moore denied using a shock collar on one dog. She admitted having two collars on another dog but at a level that just tickled the dog and not on the dog's genitals as one witness testified.
In a statement, Moore said, "As I have always maintained, I am totally innocent. Every charge was false."
In his ruling, the judge said the state's attorney's office failed to take the necessary steps to call an expert witness about shock collars and their effects on animals. | Source: CBS2 - Nov 21, 2007
Update posted on Nov 29, 2007 - 5:08PM |
Ami Moore is scheduled to appear in court next on July 18 at 9:00 in Branch 46 of Cook County Court, located at 555 West Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607.
Moore is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly using multiple shock collars on two dogs in June 2006.
According to prosecutors, Moore used multiple shock collars on "very young dogs."
"In one instance, she had three shock collars on one dog. One was near the genital area of the dog", prosecutors say.
Circuit Judge Marvin Luckman had earlier dismissed charges when police failed to show up at the initial court hearing. A Cook County judge allowed prosecutors to file new animal cruelty charges in October.
Ami Moore filed a motion to quash, which was denied by the court on April 3, 2007.
Under conditions of Moore's bail, she is not allowed to use more than one shock collar per dog and is not allowed to use shock collars on dogs younger than 4 months of age. | Source: Case # 0624468
Update posted on Jun 1, 2007 - 3:18PM |
| Ami Moore's motion to quash was denied by the court on April 3rd. She is scheduled to appear in court next on May 31, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. in Cook County Court, Branch 46. | Source: Case # 06244668
Update posted on May 7, 2007 - 1:57PM |
| Ami Moore is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on the motion to quash April 3, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. in Court Branch 43 located at 3150 West Flournoy St., Chicago, IL 60612. | | Update posted on Jan 5, 2007 - 8:21PM |
A Cook County judge on Tuesday allowed prosecutors to file new animal-cruelty charges against a dog trainer dubbed the "Dog Whisperer."
Circuit Judge Marvin Luckman had earlier dismissed charges when police failed to show up at the initial court hearing for Ami Moore, 47, of the 100 block of South Racine Avenue, who is accused of using multiple shock collars on two dogs in June 2006.
Luckman denied Assistant State's Atty. Ankur Srivastava's request to reinstate the charges. But he did allow prosecutors to file new charges once another Chicago police officer testified that he was one of the two officers who arrested Moore in July.
Moore's attorney, Edward Richman, said the new charges should not be allowed. He will be able to argue the matter at the next hearing, Dec. 14.
Under conditions of Moore's bail, she is not allowed to use more than one shock collar per dog and is not allowed to use shock collars on dogs younger than 4 months, Srivastava said. | Source: Chicago Tribune - Oct 31, 2006
Update posted on Nov 1, 2006 - 1:42PM |
References
« More cases in Cook County, IL
|
