WATERTOWN - A court date for alleged animal abuser and Watertown resident Kevin Schneider has been postponed until next month.

Schneider, who has been charged with two counts of cruelty against his former greyhound dogs, is expected to have his trial date scheduled on March 3.

The original “compliance and election” date was Feb. 6 at Waltham District Court in order to examine further evidence and move forward with a jury trial.

Schneider has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly abandoning his two adopted racing greyhounds. According to reports, Schneider pushed one dog named Talca from a moving SUV in Connecticut, and left the other dog, Sari, under a bush near a Rhode Island hospital. Sari died from severe malnourishment days later. Talca is recovering.

Schneider pleaded not guilty to the charges, and has been ordered by the judge to have no responsibility for or custody over animals.

Last month, Watertown Police arrested Schneider at his Spruce Street home on a fugitive from justice warrant. Connecticut Police have extradited him and pressed charges against him for an incident that allegedly occurred there.

Members of the nonprofit group Greyhound Friends Inc., who have flocked to the courthouse to hound Schneider for his actions, said they expect him to be prosecuted to the fullest extent.

In Massachusetts, a charge of cruelty to animals carries a maximum sentence of five years.

“It is strongly believed that a lenient sentence would send a regrettable message to the community that animal abuse is not considered to be a serious crime,” they said in a press release.

Schneider’s attorney, Robert Menton, has told the TAB & Press that “records will show” that his client took care of his pets.

Menton said Schneider had taken both greyhounds to a veterinarian’s office, where they prescribed the dogs antibiotics.

After an investigation by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a warrant was obtained for Schneider. Watertown Police first arrested him inside his Spruce Street home on Nov. 17.

Michael McCann, president of the Greyhound Project — an organization that turns the animals known for competitive racing into family pets — said both dogs were discovered weighing close to 30 pounds, at least half of what they normally should.

In a statement from the Greyhound Project, the story of how Schneider was allegedly discovered is explained. On the night of Oct. 27, a man from Killingly, Conn., observed Schneider open the passenger door of his SUV, and while it was rolling, reportedly pushed something out.

According to the statement, the same SUV was allegedly seen at the parking lot of Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I., one hour later, dropping something off under a bush nearby and speeding away. A nurse reportedly discovered another white-and-black greyhound “so weak, she couldn’t move.”

Both dogs were transported to a veterinarian, but only Talca survived. Sari lived for four days at the hospital after being found in Rhode Island.

I know all greyhound owners will be there again this time. They won't relent, and that's a good thing. I hope they throw the book at him.

I hijacked this from another forum. I just wanted everyone to caught up on what's going on.



Here's the latest from the Greyhound L list:

Kevin Schneider, the man accused of starving, then abandoning two Greyhounds was scheduled for two court appearances today. About 30 Greyhound advocates showed up in court this morning, expecting him to change his plea to guilty, which he had apparently agreed to do. But, instead, he seems to be trying to play the system.

In an unexpected turn of events, Schneider's attorney withdrew as his counsel today in the Waltham, MA District court, and new attorney appeared in Court on his behalf. At the request of the new attorney, the proceeding was put over for two weeks, and is scheduled to go forward as a compliance and election date on March 17th. A compliance and election date is traditionally when final discovery is exchanged beween the Assistant District Attorney, and the the defendant's counsel, and a trial date is chosen. It is unclear whether Schneider will enter a plea on March 17th or request a trial date.

In Connecticut Schneider did not show for his court date, so the Judge ordered him to forfeit his $20,000 bond. Although they couldn't hear everything, according to some volunteers who were in court, it appears that judge orderd a warrant for the arrest of Schneider, and his next bond will be $75,000.

It seems that Sari and Talca will have to wait a bit longer for justice.

The guy got it postponed again until 5-5-08. He had a warrent for his arrest, so he had turned himself in. Now RI has a warrent out for his arrest, so he's supposed to turn himself in today. His family payed his first bail.

Apparently, the reason for it being postponed is because they want to try him once. Or he'll have separate trials in MA, CT, and RI.

Greyhound supporters are still showing support for Sari and Talca.

I can see why they are doing this but come on put him on trial and let him go to jail.