Shock, outrage, and allegations of abuse have erupted following an incident at an American Kennel Club (AKC) show in Michigan. A veteran handler, Paula Hall, has come under fire after being caught on camera during the St. Clair Kennel Club Show, where witnesses claim she mistreated her dog in the ring. The footage, now viral, has prompted fierce debate within the dog show community and beyond.
Hall, an experienced handler, was seen showing her Doberman, Spartacus, known as Sparty, during the event last Saturday. Witnesses allege Hall slapped Sparty so hard that it was audible from at least 30 feet away.
The controversy deepened the following day when Hall was once again caught on camera during what some have described as an altercation with Sparty in the ring. One witness went as far as to claim Hall was “choking Sparty out.”
Janette Parker, a fellow dog handler at the event, said she hadn’t known who Paula Hall was before the incident but felt compelled to act after witnessing the treatment. “I mean, she slapped this dog, and you heard it clear across the damn building. I was 50 feet away,” Parker said in an interview.
Parker tried to rally other witnesses to speak out, but she encountered resistance from fellow exhibitors. “I asked a couple of people, ‘Did you see that?’ and they said, ‘Yeah, but we’re not writing a statement against her,’” Parker said. She claims fear of retaliation was a concern, with some handlers suggesting Hall could “shank” them, metaphorically, within the dog show world.
The situation led Parker to file an official complaint, triggering a bench committee hearing with members of the St. Clair Kennel Club. According to Parker, during the hearing, Hall defended her actions, claiming Sparty had growled at her and that she had to “correct his behavior.”
“My response to that is, if a dog growls at you and your reaction is to hit it in the face, you are the problem,” Parker said. “You have no morals or ethics.”
Typically, in cases like this, the committee would notify the handler of their decision. However, Parker alleges she received a voicemail from a club official, Terry Baker, stating that the charge against Hall—improper treatment of an animal—would not result in any significant punishment. Parker claims Barbara Hahn, a member of the committee, warned her that sharing the voicemail could result in her being banned from AKC events.
While Hall was charged with improper treatment, Parker argues the investigation is being “soft-pedaled” and that Hall should have been charged with animal abuse. “If your dog is showing aggression in the ring, the judge should excuse you and the dog. Instead, she abused him,” Parker insisted. “There’s no other way to categorize it. It’s straight-up abuse.”
Efforts to reach Paula Hall were met with limited response. In a voicemail, Baker informed Hall that the board had unanimously decided to sustain the charge but assured her that the AKC would not pursue any kind of suspension. “You should be fine and dandy,” Baker concluded.
The St. Clair Kennel Club’s secretary, Barbara Hahn, declined to comment on the situation and hung up when contacted for further information.
Sparty’s breeder, Lynne Coleman of Lyndobe Dobermans in Belleville, Michigan, said she was not present at the event but was told by Hall that Sparty had growled at her. “If it happened to me, I’d slap him, too,” Coleman said.
The AKC has confirmed they are investigating the incident, stating, “We do not in any way condone that behavior whatsoever. The AKC has opened an investigation into the videos, and we will conduct ourselves according to the AKC disciplinary process, which could range from a fine to permanent suspension.”
When asked about Hall’s prior conduct, AKC representatives declined to comment.
With another event scheduled in the coming weeks, Parker says that Hall’s attendance will be telling. “If Paula Hall is there, it means the AKC did nothing. If she’s not, it could mean they suspended her,” Parker said.
At the heart of the issue, Parker says, is the need for accountability. “I want to see justice for that dog,” she said. Some within the dog show world have called Hall a bully, and others speculate that fear of retaliation may be the reason the AKC has yet to take decisive action.
In the meantime, Parker encourages concerned individuals to contact the AKC to demand justice.
Contact the American Kennel Club Compliance Department: 919-816-3546.
