Kennel owner now charged for faking dog's health certificates | Crime

SALISBURY - The owner of a dog kennel in Rowan County has now been charged with obtaining property by false pretenses for forging health certificates for dogs that he was selling across the country through a web site.

Kevin Settinieri runs Right Puppy along with his daughter Danielle Settinieri.  Danielle Settinieri, 17, was charged last week.

Investigators say the father and daughter obtained a health certificate for a healthy dog, then forged that certificate to use with other animals who were not healthy.  One of the dogs turned up sick at a veterinarian's office in Florida.

Last week Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten told WBTV that he was concerned that the sicknesses reportedly suffered by the dogs could be transferred to humans.  Such diseases are called "zoonotic."

Kevin Settinieri was booked into the jail and then released on bond.  The sheriff says that the investigation continues and that there could be more charges.  Several people who say they bought dogs from the Right Puppy web site have contacted WBTV to say that dogs they purchased were sick and in some cases were not the breed they thought they were buying.