Lenoir County dog trainer sentenced to jail, banned from owning animals
A Lenoir County dog trainer whose violent actions toward animals drew widespread outrage has been sentenced to jail time and probation after accepting a plea agreement.
Matthew Neal, former owner of East Carolina Retrievers, was sentenced to 8–19 months in prison, suspended, meaning he will avoid active jail time unless he violates probation. He was also ordered to serve 14 days in custody as part of special probation and two years of supervised probation following a felony animal cruelty case. The charges stemmed from a viral video that surfaced in July 2024, appearing to show Neal physically abusing a dog near a mobile kennel.
Court records indicate that Neal pled guilty to one of the multiple felony counts initially filed against him. As part of his probation, Neal is barred from owning or training dogs and must surrender his dog, Jett, during the time of his probation. Any future possession of a dog during the probation period could lead to immediate arrest.
Authorities said Neal was also charged in a separate animal cruelty case in Duplin County, where he is scheduled to appear in court this June.
Neal operated his dog training business in Lenoir County for nearly a decade, specializing in hunting and obedience training. The case gained attention after the release of disturbing footage of severe abuse, including striking dogs.
Editors note: The sentence: ‘Matthew Neal, former owner of East Carolina Retrievers, was sentenced this week to 8–19 months in prison and two years of supervised probation following a felony animal cruelty case’ was changed to ‘Matthew Neal, former owner of East Carolina Retrievers, was sentenced to 8–19 months in prison, suspended, meaning he will avoid active jail time unless he violates probation. He was also ordered to serve 14 days in custody as part of special probation and two years of supervised probation following a felony animal cruelty case.’ Another correction made to the line, ‘Court records indicate that Neal pled guilty to two of the nine felony counts initially filed against him. As part of his probation, Neal is barred from owning or training dogs and must surrender his dog, Jett.’ was changed to ‘Court records indicate that Neal pled guilty to one of the multiple felony counts initially filed against him. As part of his probation, Neal is barred from owning or training dogs and must surrender his dog, Jett, during the time of his probation.’
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