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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A Wake County judge has ordered a Raleigh man to have no pets after he was accused of leaving a dog in a hot cage.
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Police say the crime happened in June, and the dog passed away.
Amoni Baloubi appeared before Judge Mark Stevens in a Wake County courtroom Friday.
“You’ve been charged with a felony cruelty to animals. It’s a class H felony, with a total maximum punishment of up to 39 months in prison,” Judge Stevens advised Baloubi.
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A warrant accuses Baloubi of leaving a French bulldog named “Neeko” out in extreme heat in a cage on June 15.
According to the National Weather Service, it was 90 degrees in Raleigh that day, following a heat wave lasting several days.
“I believe this incident came because he was, what brought this event, was he was using Rover, which is like an Uber for dog sitting or cat sitting. He has no animals like dogs or cats in his possession, but he does have chickens and he has grounds to maintain those chickens,” said defense attorney Tyler Ellenberg, who is representing Baloubi.
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CBS 17 reached out to Rover about this case. They told me their trust and safety team has launched an investigation and that Baloubi’s account has been deactivated. The representative also said: “All sitters joining Rover must pass an enhanced background check through an industry leading third-party, which scans federal, state, and county databases for criminal behavior. Rover stands ready to assist law enforcement in their investigation should they reach out.”
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As Baloubi’s case is pending, Judge Stevens says he cannot have any other pets other than the chickens he owns in his backyard.
Friday morning before court, CBS 17 visited the address listed for Baloubi on court documents. No one answered, but we did hear at least one dog barking inside.
Both he and his attorney declined to speak with us after his court appearance Friday.
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