Woman Convicted of Child Endangerment for Letting Girl Watch Dog Euthanasia
Updated: A Long Island woman has been convicted of child endangerment for letting a 10-year-old girl see a dog being euthanized.
Mona Kanciper, who has a farm in Manorville, N.Y., euthanized the dog herself, the Associated Press reports. Judge James Hudson of Suffolk County convicted Kanciper in a bench trial.
Hudson said Kanciper’s decision to allow the child to watch the start of the euthanasia process was “outrageous,” though Kanciper was justified in putting down the animal and two other dogs. He acquitted Kanciper on charges of animal cruelty. The girl was at the farm for horseback riding lessons.
Kanciper runs an animal rescue group that saves unwanted horses, according to earlier coverage of the case by WPIX.com. She plans an appeal.
Kanciper tells the ABA Journal the AP story got it wrong when it reported that she was accused of euthanizing the dog in front of a child.
“I didn’t euthanize the dog,” Kanciper says. “I just tranquilized the dog in front of the child—‘allegedly’—and I didn’t even do that. That’s why I’m appealing.”
Updated on Oct. 24 to include Kanciper’s comment.
