BANGOR, Maine -- A Portland man whose 'family' of nine dogs has earned him the title of 'The Dogman' has asked the Maine Supreme Court to overturn his convictions on charges of allowing the canines to get out of hand.
David Koplow, who walks the streets of Portland surrounded by an entourage of dogs, was cited for 11 civil violations last year in Cumberland County Superior Court.
In one incident, Koplow's dogs surrounded a man with whom Koplow was having an argument. One dog bit the man. Koplow was consequently found guilty on eight counts of letting a dog run at large.
The second case arose when one of Koplow's dogs knocked down a woman who was standing on a Portland street. She pressed charges and Koplow was later cited for three counts of keeping a 'vicious' dog.
Koplow, 42, prepared his own briefs and represented himself in making his appeal before the state's highest court Tuesday.
But Koplow said he was really acting as legal counsel for his dogs, which he identified by name, including his 'wife,' Sally, and his 'children,' Chester and Annie.
The justices asked no questions as the disheveled-looking sign painter used the full 20 minutes alloted for his appeal arguments.
Koplow said the state law against keeping a vicious dog is unconstitutionally vague because it doesn't define 'vicious.' He also said his dog was only trying to communicate with the woman when the canine bowled her over.
'Dogs talk and sing. This is a question of linguistics,' Koplow said.
'How does a dog tell someone you're a cheap chiseler or you eat too much?' he asked the seven justices.
The justices did have questions for Bethanne Poliquin, assistant district attorney for Cumberland County. Several justices wanted to know why the case, which involved civil infractions, was handled as a criminal proceeding. And they wanted to know why the case wasn't settled at the lower court level.
Koplow said that if he loses his appeal, he will move to 'another state out of the jurisdiction of the court.'
