Wyoming Man Pleads Guilty to Animal Cruelty in Golden Doodle’s Death
A Natrona County man has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty following the death of a golden doodle under his care,a case marked by shifting explanations and disturbing veterinary findings.
Nigel Michael Hageman, 25, will face fines and restitution as an inevitable result of the plea agreement reached on Wednesday, according to Natrona County Prosecutor Stephanie Itzen.
The case began when the dog’s owner contacted Metro Animal Services after learning her pet had died with a fractured skull while in Hageman’s care. Ochrona Midwest K9’s advertised both boarding and dog training services,specializing in managing dogs deemed aggressive.
An initial investigation in April revealed concerning conditions at the facility, with multiple kennels stacked on top of each other and some dogs housed in enclosures to small for their size, according to the investigating officer’s report.
The timeline of events became increasingly complex as the investigation unfolded. Metro officer Bionco Gomez learned that Hageman transported the dog to Altitude Veterinary Hospital on the morning of March 10, 2025. He initially told the dog’s owner, in what was described as a frantic phone call, that he suspected the animal may have ingested poison. However, veterinary staff informed the owner that the dog had already been deceased upon arrival, and Hageman had departed the clinic before her arrival.
Hageman initially claimed the dog exhibited no unusual behavior until the night before its death. He asserted he was the sole individual responsible for the dog’s care during the week it was boarded, and acknowledged the dog displayed occasional aggression, “snipping” at him intermittently. He recounted taking the dog out of its kennel as usual, observing it slowly move halfway out of the enclosure over a 20-minute period before ceasing to breathe, prompting a rushed trip to the veterinary hospital. He later stated that staff questioned why he hadn’t sought medical attention the previous night.
However, the Wyoming State veterinary Laboratory’s report, completed in April, painted a far more grim picture. The dog’s cause of death was persistent to be blunt force trauma to the head,leg,and body. A lab doctor indicated the injuries were consistent with a high-impact event,such as being struck by a vehicle or falling from a significant height. The head injury, specifically, was estimated to have occurred within 24 hours of the dog’s death.
During a subsequent interview at the Casper police Department,Hageman’s account shifted again. He admitted the dog had briefly latched onto his hand, striking its rear end against the kennel as he freed himself. He also floated the possibility that another dog might have inflicted the injuries, a theory quickly dismissed by investigators based on the laboratory’s findings.
According to the report, Hageman then made a revealing statement, saying “it hurt his heart to know that it was me,” and inadvertently suggested the dog had been dead the night before he took it to the vet. A subsequent visit to Altitude veterinary Hospital by Officer Gomez revealed the kennel door had been removed, the reason for which remains unknown.
hageman informed investigators he had ceased offering boarding services, preferring to work with larger dogs and provide decoy services for K-9 demonstrations. The dog’s owner, who spoke with Oil City news, stated she received a refund for the three weeks of boarding and training she had paid for, and is owed $2,350 in restitution. She left the change-of-plea hearing without receiving further details from Hageman regarding the circumstances of her dog’s death.
Initially charged with felony cruelty to animals, Hageman ultimately pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge. According to Itzen, the reduction in charges was necessitated by the relocation of a key out-of-town witness, making their testimony unavailable. “With a guilty plea it will always follow the defendant as he moves forward,” Itzen stated.
The Facebook profile associated with Ochrona Midwest K9 has been deleted. However, Sunset K9 LLC, the business’s operating entity, remains actively registered with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office.
It is indeed crucial to note that the investigation was conducted by Metro Animal Services, with support from a Casper police Department detective.
