Michael
January 11th, 2003, 05:40 AM
This is a disturbing story but it's good to see people are starting to get prison time for this type of thing...
A San Francisco woman who tied up her dog in a closet and left it to starve to death was sentenced to six months in prison.
Raija Hossainy, 23, was ordered Wednesday to serve the prison term by U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney in San Francisco. Hossainy pleaded guilty to a felony count of animal cruelty in January. The case was closely watched by many animal-rights advocates.
"Ms. Hossainy engaged in behavior that is, by definition, cruel, not negligent," Assistant U.S Attorney Rebecca Hardie wrote in court papers in arguing against probation. "A message should be sent to the community that such conduct is inexcusable and will not be tolerated in the judicial system."
Hossainy's attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Ronald Tyler, said his client was a battered woman with no previous criminal history. He claimed Hossainy was motivated by fear of her batterer.
Police discovered the dead dog on July 30, 2001, after neighbors called to complain of a strong odor coming from Hossainy's apartment. They entered to check on Hossainy's welfare, but discovered the dog inside the closet without food or water, according to an affidavit filed by a U.S. Park Police officer.
A barbell was propped against the closet door and scratch marks were visible inside the closet indicating the dog attempted to free itself.
Hossainy told police she moved out of the apartment on June 13 without giving notice because an ex-boyfriend's phone calls made her nervous.
Neighbors told police they heard the dog barking on July 4, almost three weeks after Hossainy admitted to abandoning the dog.
http://www.nbc11.com/morenews/1883179/detail.html
A San Francisco woman who tied up her dog in a closet and left it to starve to death was sentenced to six months in prison.
Raija Hossainy, 23, was ordered Wednesday to serve the prison term by U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney in San Francisco. Hossainy pleaded guilty to a felony count of animal cruelty in January. The case was closely watched by many animal-rights advocates.
"Ms. Hossainy engaged in behavior that is, by definition, cruel, not negligent," Assistant U.S Attorney Rebecca Hardie wrote in court papers in arguing against probation. "A message should be sent to the community that such conduct is inexcusable and will not be tolerated in the judicial system."
Hossainy's attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Ronald Tyler, said his client was a battered woman with no previous criminal history. He claimed Hossainy was motivated by fear of her batterer.
Police discovered the dead dog on July 30, 2001, after neighbors called to complain of a strong odor coming from Hossainy's apartment. They entered to check on Hossainy's welfare, but discovered the dog inside the closet without food or water, according to an affidavit filed by a U.S. Park Police officer.
A barbell was propped against the closet door and scratch marks were visible inside the closet indicating the dog attempted to free itself.
Hossainy told police she moved out of the apartment on June 13 without giving notice because an ex-boyfriend's phone calls made her nervous.
Neighbors told police they heard the dog barking on July 4, almost three weeks after Hossainy admitted to abandoning the dog.
http://www.nbc11.com/morenews/1883179/detail.html