Case Details

Dog beaten, stuffed into suitcase
Phoenix, AZ (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Feb 6, 2007
County: Maricopa
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Charges: Misdemeanor

Abuser/Suspect: Gerald Roger Getz

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Case ID: 10732
Classification: Beating
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Abuse was retaliation against animal's bad behavior
Drugs or alcohol involved
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A Phoenix man was in a Maricopa County jail Feb�7 after witnesses told police he beat a dog and put it in a suitcase.

Gerald Getz, 41, was arrested on suspicion of cruelty to animals and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He is being held on an $1,800 bond.

The victim, a 2 � year old Dachshund mix named Rosie, was in stable condition on Feb 7 at the Arizona Humane Society's Second Chance Animal Hospital.

According to a police report, several employees of Kohl's department store at 19th Avenue and Bell Road heard a dog's cries outside the store about 10:30 p.m. Feb 6. They searched the parking lot and found the source near the street, where they saw a man repeatedly punch a Dachshund mix in the head and throw it to the ground several times, the report said.

The man put the dog in a suitcase after it went limp. When one of the witnesses confronted the man, he "started getting aggressive and made profanities," the report said.

Officers found Getz several blocks away: He matched the suspect's description and was holding the leash of a bleeding, cowering dog. Police said he was also holding a suitcase containing marijuana and various drug-related items.

Getz admitted to hitting the dog as punishment for trying to bite him, according to officer accounts.

Rosie has abdominal bruising, and veterinarians worry she could have internal injuries. She will remain in the care of the Arizona Humane Society pending the outcome of the case.

"Although we are outraged when such a deliberate crime is committed against an innocent animal, we applaud the efforts of the Phoenix Police Department for treating animal cruelty as the serious, heinous crime that it is," Cheryl Naumann, humane society president, said in a released statement. "Animal cruelty is not a joke and should never be ignored. It is a gateway crime that often leads to even greater and more violent offenses against human beings."

Case Updates

According to court records, Gerald Getz entered a guilty plea on animal cruelty charges on May 22, 2007, as part of a plea agreement. He was sentenced on July 12, 2007. Details regarding the plea agreement and sentence are not currently available.
Source: Maricopa County Case #CR2007-108652-001
Update posted on Aug 17, 2007 - 4:02PM 
Gerald Getz appeared in court on animal cruelty and drug charges on February 23. The charges stem from an incident on February 6, in which the defendant allegedly beat a dog and stuffed it into a suitcase. The victim, a Dachshund mix named Rosie, survived the attack. Getz will appear in court for a pre-trial conference on March 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m.
Source: Case # CR2007-108652
Update posted on Feb 26, 2007 - 1:14PM 
Gerald Getz will appear in court on animal cruelty and drug charges on February 23, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. The charges stem from an incident on February 6, in which the defendant allegedly beat a dog and stuffed it into a suitcase. The victim, a 2 � year old Dachshund mix named Rosie, remains in the care of the Arizona Humane Society pending the outcome of the case.
Source: Case # CR2007-108652
Update posted on Feb 16, 2007 - 7:36PM 

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References

AZ Central - Feb 7, 2007

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