Man Who Admitted To Hanging Dog Gets One Year In Jail

MAYVILLE, N.Y. (CBS Local) -- A New York man was sentenced to a year in jail Monday for killing a dog found hanging from a tree by its collar.

Robert Overton Jr., 48, was sentenced in Chautauqua County Court, where he pleaded guilty earlier to aggravated animal cruelty -- a felony charge, CBS affiliate WVIB reported.

"Many people believe that this level of punishment is insufficient," said Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson. "What I say to those folks is that they need to contact their state representatives and push for change. The actions of this man were dreadful. But, two years was the maximum potential punishment under our law."

Overton told police he killed the female pit bull named Champagne after it behaved aggressively to his young daughter, according to police and court documents obtained by WVIB.

A passerby spotted the dog hanging in a wooded area in Jamestown in late November 2017.

Prosecutors say Overton will become the first offender to be placed on the animal abuser registry in Chautauqua County.