Las Vegas dog-training company faces cruelty allegations, 35 dogs removed

A northwest Las Vegas dog-training business is at the center of a cruelty case after police removed 35 dogs and reviewed cellphone video that investigators say showed dogs being handled with force, including leash lifts and repeated electronic-collar use.

Detectives with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Section served a search warrant on April 1 at Working Dogs of Nevada, in the 7300 block of West Lake Mead Boulevard, after reports in early March of potentially abusive training practices. Officers found 35 dogs inside the facility and took them to The Animal Foundation, where they were to remain for at least seven days for medical evaluation.

John Johnstone was arrested and later posted bail, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Police said he faced four felony animal-cruelty counts. Tabitha Berube was also arrested and later posted bail, and police said she faced one count of animal cruelty. KTNV reported that the arrest report described a dog named Dottie being lifted by a leash until her feet were off the ground and swung during training, while a dog named Jeb was subjected to repeated activations of an electronic collar while resisting commands. A third dog, Astro, had neck injuries documented, though investigators did not specify a definitive cause.

The allegations cut straight into a corner of dog culture that depends on trust. Working Dogs of Nevada had described itself as a place that rescues and rehabilitates dogs with behavior challenges, medical neglect, or abandonment. That promise matters to owners of high-drive dogs, working dogs, and reactive dogs who hand over animals for structure, confidence building, and serious behavior work. This case is a reminder that the line between correction and cruelty can disappear fast when handlers rely on force, secrecy, or methods they would not explain plainly in front of a client.

Police said Berube was accused of being present during at least one incident, observing the conduct, and failing to intervene. The broader alarm has been just as much about oversight as about the alleged handling itself. The Animal Foundation’s CEO, Hilarie Grey, said the organization received multiple trucks of seized dogs within roughly 24 hours and had veterinarians, welfare staff, and intake staff ready to take them in. KSNV reported that the 35 dogs from this case, plus 15 dogs from another unrelated investigation, pushed the campus total to 405 dogs.

The fallout reached beyond the facility’s walls. The Jason Heigl Foundation said it had previously used Working Dogs of Nevada for training services but ended all involvement after learning of the arrests. Local trainer Brad Norton put the boundary in plain terms: proper dog training should build trust and understanding, not fear. Neighbors saw the disruption too. Antonio Jones told KSNV he first thought the police presence near the gym next door signaled a grand opening before realizing dogs were being removed in a cruelty investigation. In a sport and working-dog world that depends on accountability, that is the warning sign that matters most.