Connecticut Dog Trainer Faces Fresh Charges Linked to Missing German Shepherd in California
Josephine Ragland, a Connecticut “dog trainer,” is facing fresh charges related to a missing German Shepherd in California, following accusations that she caused the death of poker player Bart Hanson’s bulldog.
The 27-year-old, known as “Josie,” admitted to being on a “casino bender” when Charlie, the Hanson family dog, died from neglect while in her care. The family had signed up for a $2,000 two-week intensive training course for the three-year-old French bulldog with Ragland’s small private trainer business, “Everything Animals.”
Ragland continued to send images and videos of Charlie to the Hansons for two weeks, even after the dog had died, leading detectives to determine that Charlie had passed away between the third and fifth day of his stay with Ragland.
When Ragland was supposed to return Charlie to the Hansons, she claimed that her car had broken down and the dog had escaped and been hit by a vehicle. However, police found Charlie’s body in Norwich, Conn., more than 35 minutes from Ragland’s home, and she eventually admitted to police that he had died while she was gambling in a casino.
In addition to the charge related to Charlie’s death, authorities in California have charged Ragland with larceny of a dog whose value exceeds $950 and grand larceny of personal property exceeding $950 in relation to the disappearance of a German Shepherd named Scott in Palo Alto.
Scott’s owner, Carolina Bruchilari, had also signed up for a two-week training course with Ragland and reported that Ragland showed up with a different, aggressive German Shepherd on the day she was supposed to return Scott. Ragland later claimed that Scott had died while in the care of another dog trainer, despite being unresponsive to Bruchilari’s messages.
Palo Alto police have spoken to 18 of Ragland’s clients who claim she has abused and neglected their dogs, and she has now been charged with felony larceny and witness intimidation in relation to Charlie’s death in Connecticut.
The investigation into Ragland’s alleged mistreatment of animals continues, with authorities urging anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Ragland’s negligence to come forward.
