Man who slammed dog's head into wall gets 60 days house arrest

A man who slammed a dog's head through the wall of his girlfriend's apartment will serve 60 days under house arrest.

Daniel Ponzo, 19, of Charlottetown was sentenced Tuesday in provincial court. The judge also sentenced Ponzo to one year on probation and ordered him not to own or live in a house with dogs during that time.

"He has yet to acknowledge wrong doing," Judge John Douglas told court.

"I am attempting to address the need of specific deterrence as suggested by an apparent lack of remorse or taking of responsibitility."

A 'one-time incident'

The judge chose not to send the man to jail because he is "youthful with no prior record" and the injuries to the dog were a "one-time incident." The conditional sentence will also allow the man to keep the two part-time jobs he holds.

The dog, named Mojo, suffered cuts and bruises to its head as well as a swollen eye and punctured eardrum, following the incident in February last year.

At trial, a neighbour testified he heard pounding on the apartment wall and a dog yelping. After police arrived, Ponzo would not open the door. When they eventually got inside, they found "blood everywhere" according to testimony, and a hole in the apartment wall.

At sentencing today, the judge also noted Ponzo failed to show up for court on one occasion and was late on another. For failing to attend court, Ponzo was sentenced to five days house arrest concurrent to the 60 days for animal cruelty.

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