Puppy beaten to death with hammer
North Dade, GA (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Jul 22, 2010
County: Dade

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Jackie Burns

A North Dade man remained in Dade County Jail Monday facing a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals.

Dade Detective Nathan Lee said in a press release to the Sentinel that his July 22 investigation had determined that Jackie Burns, 52, killed a 2-month-old puppy by bludgeoning its head with a hammer. The animal’s corpse was found in a shallow grave on Burns’ property, Lee reported.

Contacted for comment, Deputy Brittany Geddie, who works with Lee on animal cruelty cases, said Monday it was a complaint by the owner of the slain puppy that led to Burns’ arrest.

Deputy Geddie said that her department investigates all complaints of cruelty to animals that it receives. These typically accelerate in the hot months as neighbors report such neglect as keeping dogs chained in the heat without water. Aggravated cruelty such as charged in this case is rarer, she said.

Punishment for cruelty to animals ranges from fines for misdemeanor cases to jail sentences for felony charges such as these. Asked how much time convictions for such charges carry, the deputy had no ready answer. “It would depend on the severity,” she said.

References

• Dade Sentinel - July 28, 2010

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