Cat thrown against wall, kicked - Virginia Beach, VA

Sunday, Nov 17, 2002

County: Virginia Beach City

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Jason T. Portock

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A 32-year-old man pleaded guilty today to animal cruelty, becoming the first person in Virginia Beach and one of the first in the state to be prosecuted under a new Virginia statute that treats the crime as a felony.

Jason T. Portock of the 3100 block of Winterberry Lane allegedly beat his wife's cat on Nov. 17, according to a statement he gave to police shortly before his arrest later that day.

Portock told police that he became aggravated by the cat while his wife was away on a business trip. He said he threw the cat against the wall of his home four times and then kicked the cat against the door.

When his wife returned home several hours later, they took the cat to a veterinarian's office. "The defendant insisted that the clinic euthanize the cat," according to evidence presented by prosecutors to the court.

When the staff at the clinic refused, "the defendant became very angry and verbally abusive, informing the staff if they did not do it he would take the cat to the parking lot and do it himself,'' according to the document.

The vet called police and Portock was arrested. 

Portock will be sentenced on Monday, April 28th, 9:30 AM, at:

Virginia Beach's Circuit Court
2425 Nimmo Parkway
Virginia Beach, VA

Portock could be sentenced to a maximum prison term of five years.

Case Updates

Jason T. Portock was sentenced Tuesday to serve six months in jail for what may be the state's first felony conviction for animal cruelty. Portock also was fined $2,500 and was ordered to be on supervised probation upon his release. Portock, 32, of the 3100 block of Winterberry Lane pleaded guilty March 4 in Circuit Court to beating his wife's cat on Nov. 17 while she was away on a business trip.

Source: Highbeam - May 7, 2003 Update posted on Dec 8, 2006 - 1:19PM

References

• Pilot Online
• SaveOurShelters

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