Ralph Ullum, of Claysville, Pennsylvania, came to the Chicago suburbs with his girlfriend for a dog show in December of last year. Their Siberian husky named Diana was competing at the event at the DuPage County Fairgrounds.
According to investigators, Ullum went a little too far in trying to gain a competitive advantage for Diana. He allegedly fed drugs to a rival husky in advance of the competition, according to NBC Chicago.
Jessica Plourde became suspicious about the condition of her husky Pixie when she saw what looked like a crushed pink pill next to the dog's cage, the suburban Daily Herald newspaper reports. She asked around, and several witnesses reported seeing Ullum petting and feeding her dog.
She contacted authorities, and a veterinarian induced Pixie to vomit. The vet reportedly found, among the dog food and chicken pieces, an undigested Protonix pill -- a drug used for acid reflux, NBC writes, but one that can also make dogs drowsy in large quantities.
A pink substance was also found near the dog, which authorities believe may have been Benadryl, according to the Chicago Tribune. That can have a similar effect on dogs.
As prosecutors announced Thursday, the 68-year-old Ullum will appear in court this June on charges of misdemeanor cruelty to animals and attempted criminal damage to property. If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to a year in prison.
To round out the bad news for Ullum, his efforts at sabotage were all for naught: neither Pixie nor Diana won the category they were competing in.