A Hamilton woman who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges, including a charge involving a dog who had to be put down after his genitals were injured, has been sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Desiree Peterson, 22, pleaded guilty Tuesday at the John Sopinka Courthouse to charges of wilfully neglecting or failing to provide care for an eight-month old brown mastiff cross and to wilfully causing unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to a Portuguese fila puppy. The charges stemmed from separate incidents in 2018.

Peterson appeared in court wearing a purple sweater and sweatpants, her hands and ankles cuffed.

She had spent nearly a year in custody and was given credit for time served. Peterson was released Wednesday, following sentencing.

In an agreed statement of facts, Crown Jill McKenzie told court that on Feb. 3, 2018, Peterson contacted a veterinary technician named Michelle Kozak via Kijiji. Kozak, based in Toronto, had advertised she was available to help with taping dogs' ears postsurgery for ear cropping.

Peterson told the woman she'd picked up a puppy with taped ears from a breeder earlier that day. She said she'd removed the bandages from the puppy's cut ears and they were bleeding.

After receiving photos of the puppy, which showed bright red fresh-looking wounds, Kozak urged Peterson to seek immediate medical care for the dog. Peterson said she would take the puppy to a local animal hospital but Kozak didn't believe her. She called the hospital and was told no one had called about a puppy with bleeding ears. Kozak then pleaded with Peterson to let her pick up the puppy and get it treatment at her expense.

Peterson agreed. Kozak drove from Toronto with three friends to pick up the dog, arriving just after 2 a.m. She met Peterson, who had blood spatter on her face, and took the puppy back to Toronto where she sought medical treatment for the dog.

The Ontario SPCA later carried out an investigation. It determined that when Peterson bought the dog from a breeder on Jan. 31, 2018, the dog's ears were intact.

McKenzie told court that based on evidence, the dog's ears were cut "without proper surgical instrument and without anesthetic" in the evening of Feb. 3 while in Peterson's care.

The dog remains at a rehabilitation centre for abused animals and is still fearful of people.

The neglect charge relates to an incident from July 1, 2018 when police responded to a call for an animal complaint at a Hamilton home. A woman who had contacted police said she received a photo from a tenant at the home "in which it looked like a torch had been taken to the dog's genitals."

At the home, police found a large brown mastiff cross lying on the floor. His genitals appeared to be burned and were "extremely swollen."

A tenant at the address said the dog belonged to Peterson.

The tenant told police that days earlier, another person borrowed the dog. The dog's genitals were injured when he was returned. The tenant said Peterson told her the injury happened when the man who borrowed the dog dragged him while riding his bike.

The dog had been lying on the floor injured for two days. Peterson did not take him to a vet. Animal control services took possession of the dog. He was later euthanized.

In addition to the 18-month jail sentence, Judge Bernd Zabel prohibited her from owning animals or residing in a home with animals for 15 years. She will be on probation for two years.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

katrinaclarke@thespec.com

905-526-4629 | @katrinaaclarke