Trial for accused in horrific animal cruelty case in Niagara to conclude April 27

Content warning: This story details graphic examples of alleged animal abuse, including images, that some readers may find upsetting. 

The trial for Carly Young, who is accused of a number of provincial offences in the horrific death of her German shepherd, Dakota, is set to conclude Monday in a Welland courtroom.

Young is currently on trial for four provincial offence charges stemming from Dakota’s death, including two counts of permitting distress to an animal, exposing an animal to undue risk of distress and failure to provide basic standards of care.

She has denied any wrongdoing.

Dakota was found collapsed and seizing on a Niagara Falls sidewalk in July of 2024.

There was a plastic bag stuck in Dakota’s mouth. A muzzle was clamped so tightly around her jaw, she could barely breath. 

Video of Dakota running down the street, a long leash dragging metal poles behind her, spread quickly on social media. It immediately ignited anger and calls for “justice for Dakota”. 

A criminal investigation into the circumstances of Dakota’s death was launched by Niagara Police last month, long after the provincial offence hearings had already begun. 

The damning evidence already heard at the continuing trial makes it clear the muzzle placed on Dakota by Young was the likely cause of death. 

“In veterinary pathology we generally assign the cause of death as the one thing that if it hadn’t happened, the dog would most likely be still alive. So, in this case, if we follow the dog back to the one thing that led to the heat stroke and complicated by asphyxiation it would be the application of a tight muzzle on a hot day,” veterinary pathologist Dr. Ian Welch, told a Welland courtroom on January 29. 

“Imagine a plastic bag over your head where you’re running out of oxygen and unable to resolve the source of the problem and until the heat stroke takes over and the dog becomes unconscious I think the level of distress would be extreme.”

Young and her husband Chris have repeatedly delayed the proceedings, failing to show for numerous pre-trial dates, and refusing to attend a trial date in-person despite an order from the Justice of the Peace.

Dakota after collapsing on a Niagara Falls sidewalk in July 2024.

(Facebook)

Young’s failure to attend the trial date in January forced the court to delay the conclusion until March 2. On that date, Young again failed to show up.

According to her husband Chris, who appeared via Zoom from their Barrie home, Carly was in hospital. He said she had been admitted the night before for psychiatric assessment.

During that court appearance, Chris indicated Carly would now be arguing she is not mentally fit to stand trial. Chris, who is assisting his wife in her defense, claimed the pair have been arguing this since the start of trial. 

Both the Justice of the Peace and the Crown Attorney disputed the claim, confirming no such statement had been made on the record during trial.

“That’s a medical opinion, not anyone can just say that,” Justice of the Peace Krista Whittard said. “There is no evidence before the court.”

Throughout the brief appearance on March 2, there were repeated technical issues with the Zoom video used by Chris. At one point when the video was restored, Chris was seen lounging in his bed. 

“Mr. Young, you’ll have to get out of bed to address the court,” Whittard said. 

According to Hillary Lowry, the Crown Attorney in the case, she has been ready to conclude the trial for months. The ongoing failure of Carly to show up to provide testimony has forced the proceedings to be repeatedly delayed. 

Originally, a court day in January was meant to be the final day of the trial. Young was a no-show in the courtroom at the start of the hearing.

Court staff discovered Young and her husband Chris were logged into the virtual courtroom, despite being directed to attend in person. 

While the proceedings were allowed to continue on that day, her physical absence clearly frustrated Justice Whittard, who was repeatedly required to jump in to stop Chris from trying to coach Carly on how to cross-examine Welch, the Crown’s expert witness. 

“Sir, please stop, it's very distracting, which is why we don’t often have defendants by Zoom,” Justice Whittard said. 

It was not the first time Carly failed to show up in person to answer to the charges. She was a no-show to the first two scheduled court dates last summer. A bench summons was issued, giving police the power to arrest her and bring her to court. Carly showed up for the first day of trial in September.

On January 29, the proceedings reached an impasse when it came time for Carly to testify. 

Lowry raised a number of concerns with allowing Carly to deliver her testimony and be cross-examined over Zoom. She pointed to the “cross talk” already occurring with her husband, and said proceeding this way would “interfere with the truth seeking function of the court”. 

Lowry suggested rescheduling the hearing which was supposed to conclude that day. 

Chris pushed back on the idea, claiming Carly had recent back surgery and was unable to travel long distances. The couple now live in Barrie. 

He said in an effort to “clear it up today”—referring to the charges—Carly would not testify. 

Lowry recommended against that, sharing that she would be seeking jail time if Carly is found guilty. 

The revelation stunned those in attendance. Advocates turned to one another wide-eyed with surprise. 

Carly immediately broke into tears, forcing a 15-minute recess. 

While seeking jail time for PAWS Act offences is allowed under the law—the maximum for the charges Carly is facing is two years—it is rarely considered. Animal advocates routinely complain that those who abuse animals in Ontario often get away with a slap on the wrist. Lowry told The Pointer she will be asking for a sentence of six months in jail, along with a lifetime ban on owning animals.

When court resumed, the couple’s demeanor changed, and they were willing to push the trial to a later day. 

On March 2, Chris pushed for a court date in June, which Justice Whittard refused. This was declined, with Whittard and Lowry agreeing on an April 27 date. 

“If she’s not here, we’re going to move forward no matter what happens,” Lowry said.

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