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Liberty Township kennel owner cited after puppy dies in van

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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP — A Liberty Township kennel owner has been cited to appear in court for the death of a dog left in a van last week, The Journal-News reported. 

According to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Brian Clegg, owner of Colonial Acres Kennel on Kyles Station Road, was cited Tuesday for cruelty to companion animals, a second-degree misdemeanor. He is scheduled to appear in Butler County Area II Court at 8 a.m. Aug. 31.

The Butler County Sheriff's Office said the incident was negligent. 

"He took his dogs there to put at the kennel while he was on vacation....He forgot that this puppy was in the back of the car, I guess it was asleep. The other dogs were not in the same compartment," said Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer.

In her report, Deputy Dog Warden Jamie Hearlihy said she was sent to the kennel on Aug. 3 about a deceased dog in a van. An employee, Timothy Myles, told her and another deputy that a white female Kuvasz puppy could not be found during the afternoon feeding of animals. After searching the kennel, an employee went to the Toyota van that Clegg left for kennel staff to make transports while he was out of town, and noticed the puppy in the back of the van in her plastic cage dead.

Employees told deputies that Clegg had left for vacation earlier in the day and that the dog was left in the van for several hours.

The report said staff members removed the dog from the crate and brought her inside the facility, wrapped her in blankets and placed her in the freezer. The report also said staff members went back to the van to retrieve the crate from the van and bleached it out due to the amount of vomit and blood inside. After contacting Clegg, who was out of town, another employee Myles Tharp called his aunt who used to work at the facility to advise her of the situation. She then contacted authorities.

Hearlihy seized the puppy and crate for her investigation. An autopsy was performed on Aug. 5, and noted the 40-pound puppy was about 14 weeks old and appeared to be in decent health at the time of her death.

Clegg could not be reached for comment.

The Journal-News is a media partner of WCPO- 9 On Your Side.