SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A Spring Valley woman has been sentenced after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty involving a Chihuahua, county officials announced this week.
- The FOX 5/KUSI video above shows a Chihuahua being beaten with a wooden plank
According to San Diego County Animal Services, officers responded to a report in August after receiving a recording from a member of the public showing the dog being mistreated. When officers met with the owner, they took the Chihuahua into protective care.
Veterinary staff at Animal Services examined the dog and determined it was frightened but not seriously injured. The Chihuahua was treated, cared for and later made a full recovery. Officials say the dog has since been adopted into a new, loving home.
The case was referred to the District Attorney’s Office, which filed charges following a review of the evidence. The defendant pleaded guilty last month to one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty.
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As part of her sentence, the woman was ordered to forfeit all animals, pay restitution, attend mental health counseling, and is barred from owning or possessing animals for five years.
The case was prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Animal Cruelty Prosecution Unit, which handles cases of animal abuse countywide and works within the Family Protection Division because of the known connection between animal cruelty and other violent crimes…