Hally Jade James French, 21, carried out the violent attack on the dog named Buddy at a Mitchell Park home in December 2011.
Neighbours who heard the dog yelping in pain alerted authorities when they saw the puppy hanging from the clothesline.
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| French outside court with his lawyer |
The dog recovered from serious injuries inflicted during the attack, which left it unconscious and with broken ribs.
Magistrate Paul Foley yesterday said the attack was too serious to suspend any prison term, despite accepting that French had endured a shocking upbringing of living in foster care from age six.
"It involved violence towards a defenceless animal who you were charged with looking after at the time," he said.
The court has previously heard French was "off his face on pills" when he attacked the dog and was deeply ashamed and remorseful for his actions.
French told a psychiatrist: "I feel really f...ing bad, I think about it every time I see a dog. I'm really sorry."
His lawyer Amanda Lambden said French's brother - whose girlfriend owned Buddy - had bashed him following the attack, in what she called "summary justice".
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| The dog called Buddy recovers at a vet clinic. (RSPCA) |
Mr Foley said while he sympathised with French, prison was the only option.
He jailed French for three months for the offence of ill-treating an animal to cause serious harm or death, and further ordered French serve a three-month sentence for assault which was suspended in 2010.
In the assault case, French was affected by hallucinogenic drugs when he tried to use a taxi driver's money to pay for McDonald's, before kicking the cabbie and stripping off his clothes before police arrived.
(Herald Sun - April 26, 2013)
