Chatham, VA - Five Virginia correctional officers have been charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty for allegedly videotaping one of the officers fondling a K-9.

The one who allegedly did the fondling, works in Pittsylvania County. The men were training to become K-9 handlers.

Kelvin Thompson, a guard at the Green Rock Correctional Center in Chatham, will plead not guilty.

His attorney, Terry Grimes, says Thompson admits to fondling the animal, but only because he was told that by doing so, he'd have more control over the dog. Grimes says Thompson was told by an instructor to fondle the animal.

Paulette Dean with the Danville Humane Society says she has never heard of using this method to "control" an animal. But she says cases like this don't surprise her.

"I've investigated personally four cases of bestiality so I would like to say that things still surprise me but unfortunately, I've heard of it. It's disgusting it's horrible," Dean said.

Larry Traylor, spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Corrections, says their instructors do not teach students to fondle during training.

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