Danbury Pet Shop Owner Accused of Failing to Care for Sick Animals

The owner of a Danbury pet shop is facing animal cruelty charges due to allegations that he failed to properly care for two dogs and a kitten, leading to the euthanization of two of the animals.

Richard F. Doyle, 55, owner of the American Breeders pet shop on 128 Federal Road in Danbury and two other shops in New York, was arrested after an investigation by state animal control officers from the Department of Agriculture that began in March. The investigation began after a complaint from one of the employees about animals being mistreated.

He is facing three counts of animal cruelty charges.

Doyle is accused of performing a surgical procedure on the eye of a Neopolitan Mastiff, a procedure that he is not licensed to perform. The female dog sustained severe bleeding after the procedure on an inner eyelid, which Doyle allegedly performed in the rear of the pet shop in March.

The employee provided officers with photographs documenting the dog’s condition.

The employee said she was often made to treat animals with medication and administer shots although she is not licensed to do so, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Doyle is also accused of confining a critically-ill exotic kitten and failing to provide it immediate veterinary intervention until the animal had to be euthanized. He is also charged with failing to provide proper care to a sick Shih-Tzu puppy that was in need of immediate medical care in April.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Doyle brought the puppy to Danbury from one of his New York stores and left it in the care of an employee but without giving it the veterinary care needed to treat it for vomiting, diarrhea and coughing. The puppy had to be euthanized later.

Doyle, of 15 Pine Cone Road in Mahopac, New York, was arrested Monday on a warrant signed by a Danbury Superior Court judge. He was released on a written promise to appear in court on Aug. 6.

Charges of animal cruelty are also pending against one of Doyle’s store managers, Kathy Seton.

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