A man pleaded guilty and was immediately sentenced Thursday to 120 days in jail for biting, punching and kicking his dog, leaving the canine unable to walk.
Shane Jamal Gamache, 36, of Orange, was also placed on three years of formal probation.
Gamache, who's been in custody since Aug. 30, pleaded guilty to a felony count of cruelty to animals.
Gamache and his girlfriend arrived home on Aug. 24 to find that the dog, Yukon, had eaten some food left on a counter, Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Malone said.
Gamache decided the 7-year-old Siberian Husky required a "time-out," so he flipped the canine on its back and told the animal to stay still, Malone said. When the dog attempted to move, the defendant grabbed his pet and bit him on the nose and lips and returned him to a position on his back, the prosecutor said.
Gamache then punched the dog in the ribs and ordered Yukon to do the time-out "or it gets worse," Malone said.
"The dog is whining throughout," she said.
The defendant kicked the dog in the left rib area while Gamache sat on a stool overseeing the "time-out," Malone said. At another point, he was "cussing" at the dog as he held the animal's nose and kicked him several more times, then picked the canine by the legs and slammed him to the ground, she said.
The defendant then got on top of the dog, held his nose closed again and bit his face before punching him in the ribs again, Malone said. Gamache also stomped on the dog's throat and sat on him and threatened to kill him before putting the pet in a chokehold with his arm, Malone said. By then, the dog couldn't walk and was gasping for air, she said.
Gamache and his girlfriend took the dog to a local veterinary service, and he fled, Malone said.
Yukon was referred to a dog neurologist to see if his ability to walk can be restored, she said.
