Trainer charged with abusing dogs at Burleson doggy daycare facility
James Nikolopoulos (Source: Johnson County Sheriff's Department)
BURLESON, Texas - A North Texas man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly abused multiple animals at a Burleson doggy daycare facility.
Dog trainer James Nikolopoulos was charged with two counts of cruelty to animals earlier this month.
An arrest warrant affidavit for Nikolopoulos says the owner of Barking Mad Doggy Daycare contacted a dog owner to let them know there was video of their dog being abused.
The dog's owner told police the animal had puncture wounds, an infected wound on her paw and swelling on her front leg.
The man then contacted police.
The owner of Barking Mad Doggy Daycare told officers she was contacted by one of her employees and told she needed to look at the security video from the facility.
She said the video showed Nikolopoulos, who rented out a space at the building for his dog training business, physically abusing and injuring several dogs, according to the affidavit.
Three animals required immediate care and were taken to the Burleson Animal Emergency Room.
Other employees at Barking Mad Doggy Daycare said they saw Nikolopoulos repeatedly pick up and slam one of the animals on the ground. He then took a dog one of the employees was holding and slammed that dog on the ground as well.
Police say they viewed surveillance video of Nikolopoulos slamming dogs onto the concrete and choking another dog with his hands, according to the affidavit.
Nikolopoulos has trained dogs for the military and is the founder of Complete Canine Training.