Pennsylvania: Jason French, 33, charged with cruelty to animals after strangling his dog "for three hours" until it died

Owner said he 'had to do it' because Apollo wouldn't stop barking, police say

PENNSYLVANIA -- A Pennsylvania man has been charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals for allegedly killing a dog police say he told them only died after he choked it for three hours.

Police in Westmoreland County were called to the Irwin home of 33-year-old Jason French on First Street after he was seen kicking a black object and then digging a hole.

Patrolman Michael Hooper found a black dog weighing about 30 pounds dead behind the house, and he alleges that French told him he strangled the animal with his hands because it "wouldn't stop barking."

The officer alleges that French showed no remorse, saying "It took me three hours to strangle that dog. You wouldn't think it would take long with a dog that size."

Court documents don't list an attorney for French. No listed phone number for him could be found Sunday.

Police say French had adopted the Labrador Retriever mix from a shelter.

Candy Nelson, president and founder of Westmoreland Animal Friends, said the agency performed extensive background checks on French, his family and his residence before placing Apollo in his care.

"Everything checked out on this individual. Unfortunately, because the priors were summaries, they didn't show up on a background check. With the HIPAA laws, we aren't able to see anything regarding mental health," Nelson said. "We do due diligence on our part, but unfortunately, this is still what happened."

Nelson said she and her workers and volunteers at the shelter are heartbroken over Apollo's killing.

"It's crushing. It's crushing. When you're in rescue, you never want to do anything to put an animal in harm's way. That's why we're here. That's why we do what we do," Nelson said. "To see this happen to any animal, especially one of our very own, it's been a very difficult time for us."

Nelson is hoping concerned animal lovers will flood the offices of District Attorney John Peck and District Judge Douglas Weimer to request the maximum punishment for French.

"Unfortunately with this sort of thing, without having priors, what's most likely is even a crime that's as heinous, as torturous as what he did, it could be probation or a month in jail," Nelson said.

Nelson is also hopeful local legislators can push to toughen animal cruelty laws in Pennsylvania.

"If nothing else, giving Apollo a voice in his death would be that this one occurrence could help change laws in the state of Pennsylvania that animal cruelty isn't just so disposable," Nelson said.

French was taken to a hospital on a mental health warrant.

(Yakima Herald-Republic - Nov 22, 2015)