CHILTON COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — A verdict of animal cruelty has been reached against the proprietor of a dog training center in Verbena.

Cupid Seymour, who operates in Verbena, faced an initial conviction for animal cruelty in April. This resulted in a one-year county jail sentence, with 180 days to be served, followed by two years on probation. Additionally, Seymour was ordered to pay $3,500 in restitution alongside a $1,000 fine. Despite appealing the conviction, a retrial upheld the guilty verdict.

As the owner of Cupid’s Dog House, Seymour was responsible for a puppy that joined a dog obedience program in September 2024. The four-month-old puppy stayed with Seymour for three weeks, after which the owner was informed of the dog’s death. A subsequent necropsy revealed the puppy’s gastrointestinal tract was empty of food.

Seymour is due for sentencing on November 13 at 8:30 a.m.