He'll get one year in jail. Probably less. His meth charge got included in that also.

So, for all you people whining about the punishment being too tough. Check your facts before you whine.

For all you people who claim it's a more excessive punishment than a child killer would get, bull. Or that we're giving equal status to animals, bull again. You KNOW that's a crock. But you can't admit it because you wouldn't want the animal lovers to be right, would you?

If someone killed 13 children, they'd be on death row. Or in prison til they rot, if they're lucky. If someone INTENTIONALLY killed even one child, they'll spend decades in the slam. You know it.

Also, if you are one of those who wrote about theyll go after farmers, or someone who hunts deer. Quit sensationalizing and check your facts cause that's a load of bull too.

Hunters, farmers, and ranchers in the normal course of their activity are exempt from cruelty laws unless they are truly egregiously cruel. And since they didn't charge the rancher who dragged cows behind a truck, apparently they'd have to do even worse to get busted.

Cruelty to animals is a depraved, disgusting and horrible thing to do---there should be a punishment for anyone who intentionally does such a thing.

However said, there is something drastically wrong and equally as depraved for a judge to sentence another human being to 13 years in prison for abusing an animal. Why? Because animals are not human beings---they are animals!

There's a word for attributing human qualities or form, to animals or things---it's called "anthropomorphism."

There are consequences ahead for people who believe animals are on the same par as humans--consequences for all of us. One, it puts too much power in the hands of government and state---already we can see the insane ruling of state power gone amok with this decision!

What if your dog gets loose and gets hit by a car? Is it neglect or "accessory to murder?" What if your cat gets poisoned by a neighbor and you can;t prove it wasn't you? What if, what if??

I'm an animal lover, but the punishment doesn't fit the crime in this case! There is no excuse for being cruel to animals, but the judge in this case has opened "Pandora's Box" with this outrageous ruling!

It was wrong what he did, but 5 years is too much. Six months in jail would be stiff plus community service and a fine.

Man, I guess bugs are considered animals in some sense? I usually kill the critters everyday with bug spray. Is this going to became a felon as well?

What is wrong with you people? He is not getting "decades" in prison. It's might be 5 years. The meth possession alone is 0-5 years prison. And the wrongness of what he did is not on a sliding scale. He deserved more than he was sentenced, but it doesn't make human life less valuable. If he killed 13 people, instead of puppies he'd be sitting in prison for life. People disgust me and this is part of the reason I like animals better than humans.

As Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." I'd say America still has a hell of a long way to go in becoming civilized if that's the case.

Animal protection laws need to become stricter. Laws are about protection and they should apply to animals and their lives just as much as they apply to humans. This person's sentence was too lenient. We need to start making an example of the low life scum out there who abuse animals and give them harsher penalties.

What Gandhi said about nations also applies to how civilized individuals are, and based on many of the comments I've read here, I'm surprise at how many uncivilized redneck ignoramuses are out there.

Life is tough enough with out altering your states on Meth. Maybe if more judges were like this one, offenders would get what they deserve and a little extra time to think about it. I am a firm believer in the "eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth." I guess the druggie was seriously "zoning", and forgot the rocket science idea to spay if he could not deal with it. Give me 5 minutes alone in a room with him & he will wish he had gone to the big house! Thank god for unconditional puppy love.

this "person" GOT JUST WHAT HE DESERVED. now the thing is 2 make sure he carries out this sentence!!!!!!!!!!!
"it's just a dog" THE most stupid expression!!!!!

He deserved to go to prison. People that abuse animals often move on to people. If he didn't want puppies maybe he should have had his dog spayed.

We are talking about almost 14 live's here and to suffocate them,just Horrible. There are shelters for unwanted pet's and even if there were not, try finding home's. Taking innocent live's, there is no excuse for that, EVER.
I think the court did the right thing, Yay! We need more of these sentences for animal abuser's, it keep's our children safe for a while to.