69-year-old GEORGE A. MEDER (pictured), operator of Beacon Paws kennel, and husband of the kennel’s owner GINA MEDER, is again facing animal cruelty charges and was re-arrested on Monday, March 20, 2023.
According to GEORGE MEDER’s criminal information sheet, he turned himself into Troop I on an active warrant for his arrest for the charge of Animal Cruelty. He was released after posting a $10,000.00 Non-Surety Bond.
The new charge follows a Channel 3 I-team investigation into a shepherd mix named Luna. Luna’s guardian, Mr. Michael Knox, came forward after he saw the I-team’s first report which aired in January 2023, after the death of an 18-month-old American Bulldog named Artemis, or Arty for short, and realized the state needed to know about Luna, too.
Mr. Knox told Channel 3 that Luna and her sister Jade were boarded at the Beacon Paws kennel over Christmas break. When he took them home, he noticed that something was wrong.
He said: “Luna didn’t seem herself on the car ride home. When I pet her, I felt her neck was wet. I looked down and my hand was covered in blood.” Mr. Knox had no idea what was wrong with Luna and took her to the vet.
For Luna’s case, GEORGE MEDER is due in court on April 17, 2023.
With regards to Arty’s case, in early January 2023, Arty’s family went to Disney World and left their furbaby at Beacon Paws.
On Wednesday, January 4, 2023, GEORGE MEDER sent Arty’s mom a text message to let her know that in the morning Arty was playing with a couple of dogs and they “ended up grabbing at each other’s face & ears” causing Arty a few nicks.
On the morning of Friday, January 6, 2023, GEORGE MEDER called Arty’s mom and told her that Arty was dead in his kennel.
On January 9, 2023, Arty was taken to Dr. Samantha McNamara of Salmon Brook Veterinarian Hospital in Granby. A necropsy performed on Arty revealed several puncture wounds to his head and neck area, “with significant swelling and secondary infection present”, reports Citizens News.
On January 19, 2023, Connecticut State Police charged GEORGE MEDER with cruelty to animals.
With reference to Arty’s injuries, Citizens News further reports that according to GEORGE MEDER’s arrest warrant, “The nature of the wounds would have caused severe respiratory distress that would be obvious in nature. Dr. McNamara again stated that the nature of the injuries would have caused significant bleeding (particularly from the ear wounds) which would have been evident to any lay person, medically trained or not medically trained.”
Dr. McNamara’s professional opinion was that there was a failure to render care or basic first aid to Arty, and negligence in not seeking veterinary care immediately following the incident.
Police reports say Arty had at least twenty wounds and a punctured trachea.
GEORGE MEDER made his first appearance at Derby Superior Court on February 27, 2023.
Channel 3 reports that after the hearing, the I-Team tried to ask GEORGE MEDER’s lawyer questions but he declined to answer and said: “I don’t care to comment. The case will play out in court.”
Court records say Arty and Luna both had puncture wounds that appeared to be from another dog. GEORGE MEDER is accused of failing to give both dogs proper care.
For Arty’s case, GEORGE MEDER is expected back in court on April 3, 2023.
Arty’s family is talking to a lawyer about a possible civil lawsuit.
After Channel 3 reported Arty’s death, a former employee of Beacon Paws kennel, Ms. Jessica Hayes, came forward to share her story. She explained to reporter Cassidy Williams that she had worked at the kennel for several months in 2014. She stated that the facility was dangerous and drew a layout to show it. During her explanation, she said: “There was small stone porch, and then under the windows you had a little ledge and the dogs would congregate here.” She also added: “It was just horribly run. I did not like it at all. That’s why I didn’t work there very long.”
Ms. Hayes further revealed that because too many dogs were vying for a spot in the shade, fights would break out, which is why she was not surprised to hear about Arty.
Ms. Hayes also expressed her concern for the air conditioning and said there was only one rolling air conditioning unit, and that she was told to turn it off at night.
Channel 3′s I-Team filed a records request with the state asking for all complaints and investigations into Beacon Paws.
It sadly came to light that Arty was not the first dog to die in GEORGE MEDER’s care!
In fact, records show that since Beacon Paws opened in February 2012, there have been four other complaints filed with the state. Three of the dogs died and one other dog was injured. The state gave Beacon Paws two written warnings for cruelty.
In September 2012, a dog was injured and later died as a result of injuries sustained while staying at Beacon Paws.
On that occasion, GINA MEDER was issued a written warning for animal cruelty. The kennel was also issued a warning for violating regulations: segregation of dogs and dogs must be caged individually.
In October 2016, a dog staying at Beacon Paw burned his paw, and again, GINA MEDER was issued a written warning for animal cruelty. The kennel was also issued a warning for violating regulations: surfaces must be water impervious and water must be provided at all times.
In August 2021, a dog died during his/her stay at Beacon Paws. The cause of death could not be definitively determined and no enforcement action was taken against Beacon Paws.
On the afternoon of August 8, 2022, a 3-year-old Rottweiler named Taco arrived at Beacon Paws for boarding. Citizens News reports that the following day, one of the workers noticed that Taco was a little wobbly. The worker and GEORGE MEDER heard a sound like a “dull chain saw going through wood” coming from Taco and when they checked on him, he was “sitting like a sphinx and breathing in a big way,” according to the state Department of Agriculture complaint.
GEORGE MEDER took Taco to Newtown Veterinary Specialists where the furbaby later died. That case has since been closed, no enforcement action was taken against Beacon Paws, and as of September 16, 2022, state Animal Control Officer Kelli Baker said she was unable to determine the cause of Taco’s death without a necropsy.
Baker said: “It appears that the staff of Beacon Paws took all appropriate actions when Taco fell ill and I am unable to determine if Beacon Paws is responsible for Taco’s death.”
It’s unclear why a necropsy was not performed on Taco.
Taco’s family raised questions about the temperature inside the kennel.
The Department of Agriculture regulates kennels and pet shops. A spokesperson declined Channel 3′s request for an interview saying, “As a matter of agency policy, we do not discuss internal procedures for enforcement.”
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MEDER’s mugshot provided to Voice For Us by Connecticut State Police.
