A 61-year-old man who was found guilty of cooking his puppy alive on a stove to punish him for biting was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Friday.
Bradley Boley was convicted of animal cruelty in the horrific incident that resulted in the death of his 2-month-old Chihuahua, Buddy, at his Dallas home on Feb. 17, 2014, according to the Dallas Morning News.
A Dallas County jury heard how he put the dog into a plastic kennel as punishment after he nipped him, Fox 4 News reported.
He placed the kennel on the stove, which was then switched on. The animal cried out in pain as he suffered fourth-degree burns, according to KTVT.
Neighbor Jerrod Foote heard the dog's screams and saw smoke coming from Boley's mail slot, per The Dallas Morning News. He entered the home, spotted Buddy and made Boley take him to a nearby veterinary clinic. But the animal had burns on 100 percent of his body and was humanely euthanized.
How the stove was switched on was a matter of contention, as Boley claimed throughout his trial that the pup must have slipped a paw through the box to flick the burner on, according to WFAA.
Detectives, however, told the jury the stove had safety knobs that needed to be pressed before the burner could be turned on, making Boley's claim highly unlikely, according to the Dallas Morning News.
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