Charges laid in connection with deaths of 5 dogs

A Minto, N.B., man has been charged in connection with the deaths of five dogs in March.

Minto RCMP laid six charges of injuring or endangering animals against Keith Barton in the Burton provincial court on Monday.

Five dogs were found dead and a sixth one seriously injured at Barton's Pet Me Kennel in March.

Barton is also facing three counts of failure to provide food, water, shelter or proper care, charges that were filed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Officials from the SPCA, accompanied by workers from the central New Brunswick village animal control office, arrived at Barton's kennel to seize 11 Pomeranians after it was found that the property did not meet kennel standards.

Barton was observed playing with the dogs in the yard before taking several of the animals into a shed.

When officials later went into the shed to collect the animals, five dogs were found dead and one was seriously injured.