Warrant Issued for Erhard Man Charged for Torturing Dog

Erhard, MN – A warrant has been issued for an Erhard man accused of torturing his dog to death.

Prosecutors say 22-year-old Brien Thomas Poser was the owner and caretaker of a one-and-a-half-year-old hound that was reported to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office to be dead or starving in January of 2025. Deputies arrived on the scene and found the dog frozen to the bottom of a one-way crate outside the home. The deputies said the dog was extremely thin.

Court documents say deputies spoke with Poser, who said the dog had died around a month and a half earlier, and that he believed it had worms that he attempted to treat by medicating, feeding, and watering it, but he never brought the dog into the vet. He said the dog, “just got sick and died.”

The dog was sent to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for further inspection. A report was done that showed the animal was in an emaciated state with nearly complete absence of body fat, generalized muscle wasting, and an extremely low level of bone marrow. Officials say the inspection did not show any natural disease that would cause such a state.

Poser was summoned to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, December 30, but he did not show.

Update: Mr Poser has now reported to the court administration and has made a promise to appear in court.