By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
After being found negligent in the care of his dogs, Carl Hardymon was sentenced in Crawford County Municipal Court on Wednesday.
Pleading down to a lesser charge of one count of animal cruelty, Hardymon was sentenced to 90 days in jail with 75 days suspended. Hardymon will serve the remaining 15 days at the Community Alternative Center in Mansfield. Judge Shane Leuthold also ordered that Hardymon can’t own a cat, dog, or livestock for three years.
After Hardymon was given his sentence Judge Leuthold gave parting words to the defendant.
“I will say, Mr. Hardymon, at first blush you may think these are harsh,” Leuthold said. “I normally would hand out a 90-day sentence. Animals don’t have the ability to call for help. They can’t pick up the phone and call for help. They can’t run over to the neighbor’s and tell them what is going on. I think you should consider yourself lucky.”
Hardymon was also given a $500 fine and three years of non-reporting community control.
Hardymon was charged after the local Humane Society agent responded to a call and found one deceased dog and another severely malnourished. The second dog, a female beagle-mix, was seized by the Humane Society of Crawford County
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