Police: Man Showed No Remorse For Strangling Dog To Death

IRWIN (KDKA) -- Police say he strangled his dog and showed no remorse. In fact, he was preparing to dig a hole in his backyard to bury the animal.

Tuesday afternoon, Irwin Police were called to the home of 33-year-old Jason French on 1st Street.

"There were several women working at a plant across the street from the back of his house who heard the dog barking and yelping," Officer Michael Hooper said. "They did witness French pounding his fist on the ground, possibly hitting the dog."

When police arrived, the 30-pound, seemingly neglected Labrador retriever mix was lying on the ground. The animal was dead. Police say when they asked French what was going on, he responded, "He wouldn't stop barking, so I had to do it." The criminal complaint says French showed no remorse for killing his dog.

"He decided to strangle the dog with his bare hands until it stopped moving," Hooper said. "It took him about three hours to strangle the dog. He said he was surprised that it took him that long to do so."

Police say French recently adopted the dog from a local shelter. He is charged with one count of cruelty to animals.

French is in a local hospital for mental evaluation. In the meantime, his preliminary hearing is March 2.

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