A Monroe Township boarding kennel is being forced to close its doors for five years after its owner pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in connection with the death of a dog named Hank, who was mauled by two other animals while in the facility's care. Destinee C. Javier entered the guilty plea to one count of animal cruelty and agreed to shutter Back to Eden Animal Boarding, according to the terms of the case.
What Happened to Hank
According to WDTN, Javier pleaded guilty and agreed to close the boarding facility for five years, though the Dayton Daily News reported the closure period as at least five years. Hank, who was boarded at the facility, was attacked and killed on March 31, 2026, and a necropsy determined he died from severe traumatic injuries consistent with a dog attack, the station reported.
Investigators believe the two attacking dogs escaped their kennel, and the same report notes that officials found damaged areas and holes in the kennel fencing during their inquiry. As WKEF reported, the Miami County Animal Shelter was notified that a dog boarded at Back to Eden Animal Boarding had been killed by two other dogs at the Monroe Township property.
Terms of the Plea Agreement
Beyond the closure, Javier must obtain court approval before she can open another boarding facility once the five-year period ends, and she was ordered to pay a $50 fine along with court costs, per the same WDTN report. The station's account describes the closure and approval requirement as part of the negotiated resolution to the criminal case.
A separate, more recent investigation is also tied to the case. Per This Local Life, prosecutors will not pursue additional charges stemming from a September 12 investigation as long as the terms of the plea agreement are followed. That investigation reportedly involved several dogs lacking readily available food or water, along with two Great Pyrenees found with significant matting, according to the outlet.
Additional Dogs Surrendered and Groomed
As part of the arrangement, Javier agreed to surrender Thor, a Great Pyrenees seized by the Miami County Animal Shelter during that September investigation, the same outlet reported. She was also given until September 25, 2026, to have another dog, Icelyn, professionally groomed, according to the report.
Back to Eden Animal Boarding has described itself, on its own website, as offering 10 kennels housed in a temperature-controlled building along with a fenced-in play area, according to the facility's FAQ page. In the wake of the case, the Miami County Animal Shelter encouraged pet owners to carefully research boarding facilities before leaving animals in someone else's care, WKEF reported.
A Pattern Seen Beyond Ohio
Boarding-kennel cases involving multiple animal deaths have surfaced elsewhere in recent months. Four employees of a boarding and training kennel in Swannanoa were reported to be facing felony charges after an investigation into the deaths of two dogs, according to a Dayton 24/7 Now report, and a separate report from North Carolina Health News described the deaths at that Swannanoa facility as exposing weaknesses in the state's animal-welfare protections. A separate case out of New York, meanwhile, saw an Argyle kennel owner plead guilty in a matter involving 21 dog deaths, according to a report from WNYT.
