Canine Trainer Accused of Animal Cruelty Pleads Not Guilty [Updated]

MURRIETA, CA -A longtime dog trainer accused of mistreating the canines that he specializes in turning into comfort and service dogs pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony charges.

Robert E. Taylor of Winchester is charged with six counts of animal cruelty in connection with alleged acts of excessive discipline.

Taylor was arraigned before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Mandio, who set his bail at $40,000 and scheduled a felony settlement conference for April 5 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. The defendant immediately posted bond, according to court records.

Taylor, who owns Dog Wish Service Dogs, told City News Service last month that the allegations were unfounded and that he attempted to explain his methods to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, but "they never responded to anything."

According to Department of Animal Services Sgt. Lesley Huennekens, an investigation was initiated in October after several individuals who work for the 66-year-old defendant complained that he was hurting prospective service dogs.

Animal services obtained videotape allegedly showing Taylor overzealously using choke chains and kicking dogs that didn't respond to his orders.

"Upon viewing the videos, I immediately recognized Mr. Bob Taylor from past contact with him," Huennekens stated in a report submitted to the D.A.'s office in December. "I saw Mr. Taylor repeatedly kicking and choking dogs during what appeared to be training sessions. The video shows Mr. Taylor tie each of the dogs to a post with a leash with what appeared to be a choke chain and held another leash with a choke chain in his hands."

Huennekens said that, in the videos, when Taylor gave commands to "sit" or get "down," and the dogs didn't comply, "he would pull on the leash, causing the dogs to choke."

"Mr. Taylor was also videotaped kicking the dogs in their rib cages and hip area," she wrote. "One of the dogs was choked and kicked 17 times. The dogs would scream and thrash on the ground from pain and fear."

Despite the disturbing images, Huennekens acknowledged that when she and other animal control officers served a search warrant at the Wildomar property, the facilities appeared to be well-maintained, and none of the dogs that officers encountered gave indications of abuse or neglect.

However, the video evidence was compelling, and the Department of Animal Services relied on that in seeking prosecution, according to agency spokesman John Welsh.

According to the Dog Wish Service Dogs websites -- www.dogwish.org and http://dogwishservicedogs.com -- Taylor has been training canines for nearly 40 years. He incorporated Dog Wish Service Dogs in 2000 and has since won several "national championship titles," according to the sites.

"Our dog training has and is designed completely as a response to the critical and demanding needs of our clients," dogwishservicdogs.com states. "The methods we use are administered in a sensitive, but competent manner, individually, with each dog we train."

"We have created a strategic and comprehensive breeding, whelping, raising and training program, using a breed of dog we have created specifically designed to handle our client needs in a far superior way," according to the site.

The service dogs trained by Taylor have been paired with individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's, autism, Asperger's syndrome, bipolarism, Down syndrome, as well as patients who suffer from a variety of other neurological impairments, he said.

- City News Service / Image via Shutterstock