South Boston dog kennel owner arraigned on animal cruelty charges

BOSTON, May 31, 2023 – A Burlington man who owned a dog training and boarding facility in South Boston was arraigned on animal cruelty and other charges today following an investigation by the Animal Rescue League of Boston, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

TYLER FALCONER, 30, was charged in South Boston BMC with three counts of animal cruelty by a custodian and three counts of improperly tethering or confining an animal.  Judge Michael Bolden released Falconer on personal recognizance and ordered him to return to court July 18 for a pre-trial hearing.

Assistant District Attorney Kelly Ryan said the offenses involved three dogs boarded over various dates at Falco K9, the South Boston facility formerly owned by Falconer.  During their stays, each of the dogs lost significant amounts of weight and/or were injured.  One of the dogs lost 20 pounds.  Another suffered a foot puncture wound that required medical attention. 

One of the dogs was at the kennel for two weeks in November 2020.  A second was there for two eight-day stays in January and February of 2023.  The third was at the kennel for a two-week period in January 2023.

Hayden, a dog owner, thanked the Animal Rescue League for its work on the case and expressed sympathy for the dogs and the families involved.

“Dogs bring so much joy to the lives of the families who care for them and love them.  They return that love, enormously.  When necessary to board it’s vital for the families to know that their dogs are in a safe, healthy environment and are treated with kindness and care.  That was clearly not the case here, as these disturbing facts make quite clear,” Hayden said.

 All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

  James Borghesani, Chief of Communications