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Woman Convicted Of Euthanizing Neighbor's Dog Headed To Jail

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A woman convicted of stealing, then euthanizing, her neighbor's dog will spend three-to-six months in jail.

Gisele Paris, 58, was convicted on charges of theft, receiving stolen property and cruelty to animals in December.

At her sentencing hearing Friday, Judge Anthony Mariani said she showed no remorse and was a danger to society.

It fueled an exchange between Paris's cousin and the dog's owner in the courthouse hallway.

Mark Boehler, who is dealing with cancer, gave a victim impact statement about his Siberian husky, Thor. He cried at times, then sometimes raised his voice at the defendant.

"Cause it was my dog. It wasn't her dog. She took it into her hands to bury on her property with her family pets," said Boehler. "It was my family pet. I had him for over eight years. She had him for two months. He didn't last two months with her, but he lasted over eight years with me, so who treated him right?"

Paris's cousin portrayed her as one who has cared for all kinds of animals and had no malice in trying to care for Thor. He blamed Boehler.

"This verdict is the most unjust and the sentence is the most vicious and vindictive, inappropriate, and the problem here was the maltreatment and abuse of the animal in the first place by its owner who has performed theatrics for you, the media happily and in the courtroom," said Barry Paris, the defendant's cousin.

But the officer who investigated said Boehler was not abusive to his pet.

"Numerous agencies went out to the house and found the conditions to be acceptable," said Officer Christine Luffey, of Pittsburgh Police.

Paris's lawyer though says he's already in the process of filing an appeal.

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