An East Canton man with a prior conviction for bestiality has been arrested again on new animal sex crime charges, according to court records.
Police allege that 29-year-old Joseph Domer engaged in sexual activity with a pit bull at his home on South Werley Road in April 2024. A criminal complaint says the assault, which nearly suffocated the dog, was recorded on Domer’s cell phone. He is charged with sexual conduct with an animal and cruelty to companion animals.
Domer pleaded not guilty in Canton Municipal Court on Sept. 12. A judge set bond at $50,000, and he remained in the Stark County Jail as of Sept. 15. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 17.
The new charges come less than a year after Domer was sentenced in Stark County Common Pleas Court for similar crimes. He previously admitted to abusing a border collie named Rex between late 2023 and 2024. He was ordered to serve 360 days in jail, with most of the sentence suspended on condition of good behavior.
Authorities said the latest case is considered a repeat offense, which could carry stiffer penalties if he is convicted.
In a separate case, 25-year-old Johnathan Wardle Cunningham of northwest Ohio was arrested on similar allegations. Prosecutors say Cunningham repeatedly had sex with his border collie over a six-week span earlier this year. He faces one misdemeanor and one felony charge and is due in court Friday.
The Stark County Humane Society confirmed that all dogs from both households have been removed and are receiving care.
