K-9 officer wants paid for time grooming, training dogs

CHARLESTON – A Raleigh County K-9 officer is suing over claims he was not paid for time spent grooming and training his K-9 dogs.

Thomas Eric Stalnaker filed a lawsuit Sept. 22 in Kanawha Circuit Court against the West Virginia Division of Corrections, citing the Wage Payment and Collection Act.

According to the complaint, Stalnaker was employed by the Division of Corrections as a K-9 officer, with responsibilities including the care of two K-9 dogs, training them, taking them home in the evenings and off-days, grooming and caring for them on a daily basis.

Stalnaker says he was not compensated for time spent caring for and training the dogs.

The defendant is accused of failure to pay wages timely in violation of the West Virginia Wage Payment and Collection Act.

Stalnaker seeks compensatory and punitive damages and attorney fees.

He is represented by attorneys Stephen B. Farmer and Matthew H. Nelson of Farmer, Cline & Campbell in Morgantown. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge James C. Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 14-C-1737