CLEVELAND (AP) - An Ohio woman who pleaded guilty to killing her boyfriend’s 8-week-old puppy has been sentenced to a year in prison.
Twenty-year-old Deanna Caraballo was sentenced Monday in a Cuyahoga County court after pleading guilty earlier to a charge of cruelty to a companion animal. Caraballo was charged under a new Ohio law making abuse against companion animals a felony rather than a misdemeanor.
Caraballo’s attorney, David Kraus, asked the judge for probation for Caraballo. Krause said Caraballo was responding to her abusive boyfriend and the animal “got in the way.” Caraballo told the judge she was scared that day.
Police said Caraballo picked up the puppy, named Smokey, during an October argument outside her Cleveland home and slammed it against the ground, snapping its neck.
Krause says they will appeal.
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