Minnesota kennel owner charged after dog dies during training

HILLMAN TOWNSHIP, Minn. (FOX 9) - A dog owner in Mora is looking for justice after her German wiredhaired pointer died while in training at a kennel.

Kristina Ringold says she brought her dog, Evie, to the Autumn Breeze Kennel last July. A few days later, she received a disturbing video from trainer Edward Erickson showing a training method she had never seen before.

The video shows Evie tied to a cage by her neck and hind end, high enough that her feet can't reach the ground.

"He had an e-collar in his hand, so I am assuming at that time, he was shocking her, and she was climbing or trying to get away," explained Ringold.

"I don’t know what kind of training that was. I don’t know who would do that," she said.

Ringold and her family were out of town and couldn't get to her immediately. A few days later, she got a text that Evie had had a heart attack and died. Ringold said she just didn’t believe that and had a necropsy done the next day.

The results showed her heart was fine, but suggested she died of asphyxiation, secondary to strangulation.

Ringold still cries six months later over the loss.

"Knowing what she went through, I have to live with that the rest of my life," she told FOX 9. "And that’s hard."

Edward Erickson is charged with a felony count of overworking or mistreating animals under a torture provision. FOX 9 stopped by the Autumn Breeze Kennel to see if he had a response to the charge. He did not answer and told the crew to leave his property.

Erickson’s first court appearance is next week.