Oakland Woman Charged With Felony Animal Abuse for Killing Her 6-Week-Old Puppy by Smashing Its Head into the Pavement

I’m so happy to see that in Oakland or Alameda County a person can be charged with a felony for animal abuse. This is just a fully disturbing story. What a sick person. If convicted, she’ll have that on her record for life.

It’s about time to look to animal abuse as worthy of a felony.

Article:

Felony charged in puppy's death

Woman kicked and smashed her dog's head; her motive unknown

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_4101488

By Robin Higgins

OAKLAND — An Oakland woman has been charged with felony animal abuse for killing her 6-week-old puppy by smashing its head into the pavement, authorities said Wednesday.

Animal rights advocates called the July 23 death of the dog one of the worst cases of abuse they have ever seen.

Oakland Animal Services shelter director Sgt. Dave Cronin said Wednesday that what happened to the dog "was a brutal, brutal thing to do. It was completely defenseless."

Police said the suspect, Bernadette Hutcherson, 19, was walking the yellow Labrador retriever on a leash with some friends Sunday in the 1700 block of 28th Avenue.

For some reason the dog angered Hutcherson, who began kicking it, causing it to flip over several times, police said. She then picked the dog up and slammed its head into the pavement at least twice, police said.

Officer Roland Holmgrem said a passerby tried to rescue the puppy, but it died a few minutes after being injured.

"You can't put a leash on a 6-week-old puppy," said Cronin. "It shouldn't have even been outside."

A necropsy on the animal determined that the skull was cracked, and the report stated that the "puppy could not have died from any other cause than a severe traumatic blow to the head," authorities said.

Animal cruelty charges can be either a misdemeanor or a felony. In this case the Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Hutcherson with a felony because of the incident's vicious nature and Hutcherson's intent to kill, authorities said.

Hutcherson does not have a prior conviction of animal abuse.

Hutcherson was still in custody Wednesday.