BY ANDREAS YILMA
citizens news
WATERBURY – The deaths and abuse of numerous dogs at a former Naugatuck dog training facility will result in prison time and probation for the owner.
Former Black Rock Canines owner David Rivera Jr. was sentenced on Monday at Waterbury Superior Court to five years with two years to be served in prison and three years probation. He will be allowed to keep the current family dogs but is prohibited from owning any new pets, can’t be responsible for the training of any animals and can’t work or own a business associated with animals.
Rivera, a former New Canaan police officer from Stratford, ran the facility at 100 Hunters Mountain Road alongside the General Manager Daniel Luna of Waterbury. The business is a training facility for potential police and military canines, in addition to privately owned dogs. They both turned themselves in May 2022.
The arrests came after a joint investigation by Naugatuck and Stratford police, state police and the state Department of Agriculture’s Animal Control Unit that alleged animal cruelty and the storage of illegal explosives.
Police alleged numerous German shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labrador retrievers were abused and injured at Black Rock Canines. Employees euthanized 10 dogs with a firearm and borough detectives uncovered the remains of four, Naugatuck Police Chief Colin McAllister previously said.
Naugatuck detectives also previously obtained an additional search-and-seizure warrant at the former dog training facility in 2022 for state and local animal control officers who removed the remaining 31 dogs housed at the business.
Rivera said immediately before he was sentenced that he takes responsibility for the actions of his employees.
“I do indeed love animals and that’s why I went to this career route,” Rivera said. “I never trained any dogs. I’m deeply sorry for those actions but they were not mine.”
Ten members of Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates of Winsted attended the sentencing in support of the dogs that were abused or killed.
“I feel under the current climate, that was the best thing we can expect,” Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates President Zilla Cannamela said of the two-year prison term.
Borough police alleged that military-grade explosives were unlawfully stored on the property where employees were directed on numerous occasions to remove explosives from the storage location at Black Rock and transport them to the Naugatuck Event Center for canine training inside the building. These high explosives were stored in Tupperware containers and handled by employees who lacked the training or necessary permits to do so.
Deputy Sheriff and K9 Handler Christina Brewerton of Bucks County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit in Doylestown, Pa., testified at the hearing that when she first met Zeke, a Black Rock Canines survivor, in August 2022 he was a shell of a dog, malnourished and scared.
Brewerton received aid from Hometown Foundation and Connecticut local authorities to bring Zeke home to be trained for law enforcement.
“His transformation has been nothing short of miraculous. Despite his physical frailty and fears – especially of men – he showed an incredible capacity for learning and healing. His resilience shines through every obstacle, every loud voice and every crowd he faces.”
Zeke eventually went on to become a certified working dog in Bucks County Sheriff’s Office in January 2023 where he mastered the art of tracking and evidence recovery through the Penn Vet Working Dog Program.
“It’s a stark reminder of the importance of accountability and transparency in animal training facilities,” Brewerton said.
Trooper First Class Donna Sabourin, who was selected to be one of the first Comfort K9 Handlers for the Connecticut State Police Wellness Program, said she first met the K9, Sarge in August 2022. Sarge was skinny, weighing 54 pounds with scars on his paws and an old wound on his snout and was to be trained as a comfort dog.
“Whenever Sarge encountered larger statured men, masculine figures, or if a male was speaking loudly, Sarge would cower. Sometimes hiding behind me, urinating on himself or his hackles would go up,” said Sabourin, who has since become a State Police sergeant.
Sabourin said she worked with Sarge for months to help overcome fears however Sarge wasn’t able to get over his fear of men and didn’t pass the Comfort K9 program.
Sarge retired from the state police in early 2023 due to the trauma he endured. Sabrouin eventually adopted him.
“Dogs are living beings, just as a human is,” Sabourin said.
