Musher found guilty on all counts

PALMER — Doug Bartko was found guilty Tuesday afternoon of all 39 charges leveled against him after Matanuska-Susitna Borough animal control officers seized his 25 sled dogs in May.

Bartko, a Lazy Mountain-area musher, will forfeit his dogs and pay a total fine of $5,600.

“There was a mountain of evidence, there really was,’” said assistant borough attorney Lisa Thomas who prosecuted the case.

Thomas said Magistrate David Zwink made the correct ruling.

“We obviously believe that it was correct and he made the right decision.”

In an e-mail sent hours after the ruling, Bartko wrote, “I must take responsibility for my mistakes. A big part of my life is gone.”

The charges included 13 of interfering with an animal control officer, 25 of failing to provide humane animal care and one of animal cruelty. The dogs were seized May 5 and 6. Borough officials say they were severely underweight and dehydrated.

Bartko represented himself during the trial, which lasted three days and at which animal control officers and the borough veterinarian testified. The type of charges he faced did not allow for a public defender, a jury, or for jail time if he was convicted.