Judge Michael Cicconetti, of Painsville, Ohio, is an animal lover who has become famous for the creative sentences he gives to animal abusers. He found that the taste of his own medicine is exactly what they need.
His love for animals began when Michael was a child, with his sweet dachshund named Herman. This dog was his best friend and the beginning of a lifelong love for dogs. Now he enjoys the company of Kasey, his Bernese Mountain dog.
Early in his career, Judge noted that there were many cases of animal abuse and neglect and many of them were repeat offenders.
This judge creatively condemns animal abusers
Initially, he sentenced them to jail and a fine, but that didn’t seem to solve the problem. So he proposed a sentence that fit the crime.
Michael must stay within the parameters of the law, but believes a little discomfort and embarrassment will teach animal abusers a fair and just lesson.
The judge says more education about animal care is needed, and a course should be a requirement for anyone who abuses or neglects an animal, much like drunk drivers, who often have to take a course.
Judge Michael sentenced a woman whose emaciated dog was living in deplorable conditions to spend an entire day at the dump, according to I Heart Dogs.
Michael said:
“I want you to go to the county dump, to the dump, and I want you to find the most stinky, the most appetizing, the most horrible place you can find in this dump, and I want you to stay there for eight hours tomorrow, to think about what you did to that dog while you smell it. If you vomit, you vomit.”
In another case, a woman who abandoned 35 kittens in the cold woods was sentenced to spend a night in the woods, with jail time and a fine.
Judge Michael said:
“Would you like to be dumped in a metropolitan park late at night, you spend the night listening to the coyotes…listening to the raccoons that surround you in the dark night, and you sit there in the cold without knowing where you’re going to get your next meal, not knowing when you’re going to be rescued?”
This judge presents the individual sentences once he has heard the whole case. He is known to apply this method to other offenders with great success. He says it works and will continue with his unusual phrases. Their repeat offenders are 10%, while the national average is 75%.
As well as making offenders reflect on their actions, the judge said his sentences made headlines raising awareness of the crimes and their consequences. He hopes people will realize that abuse and neglect is a crime and that those who witness it should call the police.
Criminals may think twice before breaking the law. In Ohio, abusing a pet is a crime. Judge Michael wants a registry of animal abusers to be made public like there is for sex offenders. This way, neighbors with pets can be more cautious if the abuser lives nearby, and shelters can check out potential adopters.
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