Long Island man sentenced for beating chihuahua to death
A Long Island man has been sentenced to prison and barred from ever owning a pet after pleading guilty to the brutal killing of his aunt’s chihuahua, prosecutors announced on Monday.
Details of the case
Peter Minichello, 22, admitted to fatally attacking the 5-year-old chihuahua named Pup-Pup on July 6, 2022. According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Minichello inflicted severe injuries on the small dog, which led to its death days later.
Minichello had been left alone with Pup-Pup at his West Islip home while his mother and aunt were at work. Upon returning, Minichello’s aunt discovered the dog motionless in its crate, bloodied and covered in bruises.
Veterinary examination revealed that Pup-Pup had sustained broken ribs, blunt force trauma to the head and torso, and a penetrating wound on its elbow.
Legal proceedings and sentencing
In June, Minichello confessed to the attack and pleaded guilty to felony charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and criminal mischief. On Monday, he was sentenced to four months in prison and received a lifetime ban on pet ownership.
District Attorney Raymond Tierney expressed his condemnation of the act, stating, “What this defendant put an innocent animal through is as shocking as it is deplorable. A dog’s love is unconditional, and my heart goes out to the defendant’s aunt, who lost a beloved companion.”