James Cody Laurine, 31, of New Bern was charged with felony animal cruelty after he brought a dog to a veterinarian, where it was found to have severe injuries inconsistent with his account. Dog trainer charged with felony animal cruelty after investigation

The Craven County Sheriff’s Office received the initial report on December 10, 2025, after the injured dog arrived for treatment, and investigators concluded the injuries did not match the explanation that they occurred during a training session the previous day. common signs of animal cruelty, such as this one, can manifest in various forms, with signs including poor body condition, untreated wounds, and filthy living areas.

Veterinary examiners documented multiple wounds, including bleeding from the mouth, traumatic removal of two teeth, a laceration to the neck, extensive bruising on the chest and legs, hemorrhaging of the eyes, lacerations to the face and gums, and swelling and bruising of the gums. The mixed-breed dog, identified as Honey, is a 7-year-old, 40-pound black-and-white dog who required surgery, according to the animal information provided by investigators. Such injuries typically indicate severe mistreatment rather than accidental harm.

Laurine is a former law enforcement officer with ties to the Craven County Sheriff’s Office and the Bridgeton Police Department and operates a business called Reservoir Dogs Canine Solutions LLC from his residence on Little Creek Circle in New Bern. He has also worked as an independent contractor with NC K9 LLC, a dog training company based in Four Oaks, N.C., which emphasizes the importance of humane training methods, including humane training resources, including reward-based techniques.

After the sheriff’s office investigation, Laurine was arrested on December 19, 2025, charged with felony animal cruelty, given a $50,000 unsecured bond, and released the same day. In 2021, U.S. law enforcement agencies reported a significant number of animal cruelty offenses, highlighting the prevalence of such cases across the country. How prevalent is animal cruelty in the United States, and what types of cases are reported, was handled by the Craven County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Bureau.

NC K9 LLC’s owner, Jim Obrien, addressed the allegations tied to Laurine’s work with the company, saying, “NC K9 LLC does not condone the conduct Laurine is alleged to have committed and that they terminated all relationships with him once they learned of the allegations.” The company’s statement underscores that the business severed ties after learning of the claims, promoting an environment of support for ethical treatment in dog training.

Laurine has described his own work in public materials. “I train pet and police dogs in Eastern NC. I specialize in Obedience and Behavioral Modifications (timid or aggressive dogs) training, and will assist in other areas such as detection, tracking, and apprehension training,” he said, using the name associated with NC K9 New Bern. It is crucial for trainers to access humane training resources to ensure they are using proper methods, which includes both creating a safe environment for dogs and adhering to best practices for behavior modification.

The dog required surgical treatment following the veterinary assessment; medical records and the veterinarian’s findings prompted the criminal inquiry, according to the sheriff’s office and local reporting by WCTI12. The investigation also involved input from Throw Away Dogs Project, a nonprofit connected with Laurine that supported the sheriff’s office during the inquiry, as listed in official accounts.

Local reporting has also detailed Laurine’s business ties in New Bern and his contracting work with training firms; a community account in New Bern Live notes that he runs Reservoir Dogs Canine Solutions LLC from his Little Creek Circle residence.

The timeline in the sheriff’s office file shows the initial report was received on December 10, 2025, with the alleged training session taking place the day before December 10. Laurine’s arrest on December 19 completed the immediate criminal step in the case.

The Craven County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation into the dog’s injuries and the circumstances surrounding the treatment and transport to veterinary care. The organizations named in the inquiry include the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, NC K9 LLC and Throw Away Dogs Project.

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Original reporting: view the original article.