Animal cruelty accusations levied against dog trainers on local movie set

MONROEVILLE, Pa. — A worker on a local movie set called the Animal Friends Animal Cruelty Hotline reporting she witnessed several German shepherd dogs being forced to inhale a large amount of cayenne pepper in order to get the animals to react.

An employee of a film animal business, Antonio Spencer, was charged with two counts of animal cruelty.

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Court documents said the woman reported seeing the handlers pour cayenne pepper into their hands and then force the pepper in front of the dogs' nose. Video was sent to police from the woman, and Lionsgate Legal Affairs confirming her story.

The videos, according to the documents, showed the dogs trying to rub their faces in dirt and repeatedly licking their noses to fight off the effects of the pepper.

Documents said police spoke with a veterinarian who explained the effects of cayenne pepper on a dog include irritation of the nose and trouble breathing. The veterinarian also said if the pepper got into a dog's lungs, it could lead to respiratory arrest or death.

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