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Man Who Tortured Dog So Severely It Had To Be Put To Sleep Is Sent To Jail

Man Who Tortured Dog So Severely It Had To Be Put To Sleep Is Sent To Jail

The abandoned dog was found with a catalogue of brutal injuries

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A man has been sentenced to eight to 10 years after being convicted of abusing a dog so badly it had to be put to sleep.

Radoslaw Czerkawski, 37, was sentenced last week in Massachusetts, almost five years after the dog - which hit headlines under the name 'Puppy Doe' - was found abandoned.

Facebook/Justice For Puppy Doe

Czerkawski was convicted of 12 counts of animal cruelty and as well as the jail time was given two years' probation and told he will be banned from owning or coming into contact with any animals, CBS reports.

Puppy Doe, a one-year-old female mixed pit bull was found in 2013 in a park starving with a stab wound to the eye, multiple fractures to her skull and spine and a split tongue.

She captured the hearts of thousands of social media users who demanded that her previous owner be found and charged.

Czerkawski was already in prison for unrelated convictions. He was handed a sentence of three to five years in 2015 for stealing more than a hundred thousand dollars from an elderly woman he was caring for.

PA

Prosecutors had initially pushed for 10 to 15 years for the animal cruelty charges, but his defence argued for four-and-half to five.

The court heard Czerkawski had received threats and had been attacked while in prison.

He was found guilty of torturing and abandoning the dog - named Kiya - but was cleared of lying to police.

Animal Rescue League President Mary Nee told Patch the court's decision was 'historic' and said it will help usher in stronger animal welfare laws.

She said: "Today was a historic day for animal welfare in Massachusetts. With the conviction and sentencing of Radoslaw Czerkawski, it has been demonstrated that people who commit animal cruelty, and in this case extreme cruelty, will be held accountable.

Facebook/Justice for Puppy Doe

"Ironically Puppy Doe's short and tragic life was the impetus for stronger laws protecting all animals in the Commonwealth and there's still more work to do."

According to Yahoo, immigration officials will deport Czerkawski, who is a Polish national, once he has completed his sentences, with Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey adding that Czerkawski's probation wouldn't delay his removal from the US.

Sources: CBS; Yahoo; Patch

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Animal Cruelty, US News, Animal Welfare