BOSTON — The owner of a South Boston dog training facility was arraigned in court Wednesday morning after numerous reports of alleged animal abuse.
Tyler Falconer, 30, was charged with three counts of animal cruelty by a custodian and three counts of improperly tethering or confining an animal.
Falconer is the owner of Falco K9, a former dog training and boarding facility on Wadleigh Place that has since been closed. Falconer was also a firefighter for the Town of Burlington but has since resigned from his position, according to the town’s fire chief.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office says the offenses involve three dogs who all lost significant amounts of weight and/or were injured during their stay at Falconer’s facility. One of the dogs lost 20 pounds while another suffered a puncture wound on their foot that required medical attention, according to officials.
All three dogs spent around two weeks at the facility, with the first staying for two weeks in November 2020 while a second was there for two eight-day stints in January and February 2023, authorities say. A third dog stayed at the kennel for two weeks in January 2023.
Judge Michael Bolden released Falconer on personal recognizance and ordered him to return to court on July 18 for a pretrial hearing.
In a statement, Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden thanked the Animal Rescue League for their work on the case.
“Dogs bring so much joy to the lives of the families who care for them and love them,” Hayden said. When necessary to board it’s vital for the families to know that their dogs are in a safe, healthy environment and are treated with kindness and care. That was clearly not the case here, as these disturbing facts make quite clear.”
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